COCOMI convenor Athouba Khuraijam said the Prime Minister’s brief stay—expected to last only two to three hours, covering Churachandpur and Imphal—carries both “symbolic and practical weight.” He cautioned that a short visit, after more than two years of silence during the crisis, must not be reduced to “tokenism or selective engagement.”
TFM Report
On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) has urged the Centre to ensure that the trip does not remain a token gesture but instead becomes a turning point towards lasting peace and stability in the state.
Speaking to the media, COCOMI convenor Athouba Khuraijam said the Prime Minister’s brief stay—expected to last only two to three hours, covering Churachandpur and Imphal—carries both “symbolic and practical weight.” He cautioned that a short visit, after more than two years of silence during the crisis, must not be reduced to “tokenism or selective engagement.”
Khuraijam highlighted four urgent issues that, according to COCOMI, must be addressed by the Prime Minister during his visit:
Demographic Integrity: He stressed the need to detect and address the presence of illegal immigrants, calling for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) or a similar mechanism to prevent “unnatural demographic expansion” which, he said, has distorted Manipur’s social and political balance.
Resettlement of Displaced Persons: COCOMI demanded immediate and dignified resettlement of internally displaced persons. “Prolonged confinement in relief camps will only deepen trauma and erode trust in the state,” Khuraijam warned.
Narco-Terrorism and Proxy War: He described the ongoing crisis as being exacerbated by narcotics trade, cross-border cultivation, and arms trafficking, urging firm action to dismantle such networks and prevent external forces from exploiting Manipur’s unrest.
Fundamental Rights and Free Movement: Khuraijam called on the Prime Minister to restore the constitutional rights of Manipuris, particularly the right to free movement across the state, which has been “curtailed or denied for over two years.”
“Without the full reinstatement of these rights, peace will remain hollow and incomplete,” he said, adding that people expect the Prime Minister to take direct responsibility for resolving the crisis.
Khuraijam further noted that COCOMI has already conveyed these concerns to Union officials in earlier rounds of talks, and expressed hope that the Prime Minister has been “properly briefed” on the demands.
“This visit should be a turning point,” he said. “The expectations of the people are very high, and we hope the Honourable Prime Minister will deliver on these urgent issues to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur.”