Imphal: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a coalition of Meitei civil society organisations, has accused the Central government of adopting a “selective and biased” approach in responding to acts of terrorism in different parts of the country.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, COCOMI convenor Athouba Khuraijam drew sharp comparisons between the Centre’s swift and aggressive reaction to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam and its more restrained stance on ongoing violence in Manipur.
He alleged that while militants in Kashmir are treated as hostile threats, armed groups operating in Manipur—especially those believed to have entered from Myanmar—are being handled with surprising leniency.
“In Kashmir, the Centre immediately terms such groups as enemies of the state and responds with punitive measures, including actions against Pakistan,” said Khuraijam, referring to India’s recent move to suspend parts of the Indus Waters Treaty following the April 22 attack that killed 26 people, most of them tourists.
“In contrast, groups responsible for violence in Manipur are seemingly tolerated or engaged with, which raises serious concerns.”
COCOMI claims that this disparity reflects a broader neglect of the Northeast by central authorities.
Khuraijam criticised the Centre for its failure to resolve the ethnic unrest that has gripped Manipur since May 2023, when violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities erupted, leaving over 260 dead and thousands displaced.
While the Centre has blamed illegal infiltration from Myanmar for exacerbating the conflict, local groups argue that the government has shown little urgency in restoring peace.
Khuraijam also denounced the imposition of President’s Rule in the state in February, calling it an “ineffective and symbolic move” that has failed to restore stability or ensure equitable governance across Manipur’s hill and valley regions.
“The people expected that President’s Rule would bring law and order. Instead, we have seen continued chaos,” he stated.
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He further questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the crisis, highlighting that the prime minister has yet to visit Manipur or meet any of the internally displaced people, nearly two years into the conflict.
“The continued indifference from national leadership only deepens the alienation felt by the people of Manipur,” Khuraijam said, urging the Centre to demonstrate the same level of commitment to the Northeast as it does to other conflict-hit regions.
