Edited by: Kimbawinu Vaiphei, Kukiland Express Desk
Songpi: May 25, 2026
The Kuki Human Rights Council (KHRC) unequivocally condemned the bike rally organised by the COCOMI Students’ Front on Sunday, 24th May 2026, stating it openly spread hate speech and communal incitement against the Kuki community across multiple districts of Manipur.
The rally, flagged off by COCOMI convenor YK Dhiren, carried slogans such as “Wipe out Kuki narco-terrorists from Manipur” and labelled the entire Kuki community as “narco-terrorists” and “refugees”. KHRC said such blanket criminalisation of an ethnic group is unconstitutional and violates the secular fabric of India. It contravenes Article 19(2), Article 25, and Article 51A(e) of the Constitution of India, which mandate fraternity and prohibit enmity between groups. It also amounts to offences under Section 153A and Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity and public mischief.
“This rally was not an exercise of free speech but a deliberate act of hate propaganda aimed at dehumanising the Kuki people, inciting violence, and deepening ethnic divides in an already fragile state,” the KHRC stated. Publicly branding an entire community as terrorists without due process is a grave human rights violation and contravenes international human rights norms to which India is a signatory, it added.
The council noted that the three major tribes of Manipur — Kuki, Naga, and Meitei — all have a history of migration. All communities have individuals involved in drug smuggling, and all have received refugees from neighbouring Myanmar. “Singling out one community and calling it ‘refugee’ is a direct affront to the Kuki community and a challenge to the Indian Constitution,” KHRC said.
The KHRC warned that continued patronage of such communal mobilisations threatens public order and the safety of Kuki civilians. “The Government of India cannot remain a silent spectator while constitutional values are violated in broad daylight,” the release stated.
The KHRC therefore placed three demands:
- Immediate legal action against the leaders of COCOMI, including YK Dhiren and Lukram Malangba Meitei, for hate speech and incitement under relevant provisions of law.
- Urged the Government of India and the Government of Manipur to ban such communal rallies that target specific ethnic communities and endanger peace.
- Reiterated that the only forward-looking and lasting solution to the Manipur crisis is a political settlement. The Government of India must initiate steps to grant a separate administration for the Kuki people in the form of a State or Union Territory, ensuring constitutional protection, security, and dignity.
“India is a secular democracy. No group has the right to vilify another community and call for its elimination,” KHRC said, calling upon civil society, media, and national institutions to uphold constitutional morality and reject hate.
