Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen and MLAs L.M. Khaute, Ngursanglur Sanate and Vungzagin Valte, has taken visible steps toward reconciliation in the weeks since the new government was formed on February 4, 2026. The administration’s early actions — personal gestures by the CM, outreach to displaced families and the symbolic participation of Kuki leaders in assembly events — are being presented as an attempt to rebuild trust after three years of ethnic violence that began in May 2023.
Chief Minister Khemchand’s interventions include personally greeting and seeing off the ailing Kuki MLA Vungzagin Valte at Imphal airport as Valte was airlifted to Gurugram for treatment, and publicly assuring the safety of Kuki people who travel to Imphal for healthcare. L.M. Khaute and Ngursanglur Sanate’s attendance at the swearing-in and their virtual presence in Manipur Assembly sessions are being cast as symbolic moves toward cross‑community engagement.
The government has also opened virtual meetings where internally displaced persons (IDPs) from both Meitei and Kuki communities could speak directly to the elected head of state. In one session, Churachandpur MLA L.M. Khaute urged the Chief Minister to address practical needs such as job‑card facilities under MGNREGA (the rural employment guarantee scheme) and basic amenities for affected IDP communities. The article argues these issue‑based dialogues — focusing on governance rather than grievance — could help restore everyday normalcy and encourage safe travel and interaction across communities.
However, the piece warns that reconciliation efforts are being undermined from within the ruling party. BJP MLA Paolienlal Haokip of Saikot has posted what the article calls an inflammatory social media message: “Two Dy CMs at the right time could have saved the state the trouble; sacking a communal CM at the right time could have saved hundreds of lives and ethnic animosity; delaying three UTs is a mistake of the same genre with much more costs to be paid.” The article says this rhetoric borders on hate speech and that Haokip’s insistence on “three UTs” — a long‑standing demand to create separate administrative units for hill and tribal areas, referring to Union Territories — effectively advocates carving up Manipur.
The author documents Haokip’s history of harsh attacks on past state and central leaders and his public insistence that Kuki participation is conditional on written guarantees of separate administration. The article calls on Chief Minister Khemchand and BJP leadership in Imphal and Delhi to rein in Haokip through private correction, a public distancing from separatist demands, or formal disciplinary action, arguing that unchecked divisive speech risks derailing fragile peace efforts.
These steps, the piece concludes, deserve protection: decisive action within the ruling fold would strengthen the government’s ability to pursue inclusive healing and reassure communities that unity is non‑negotiable. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of India Today NE or its affiliates.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/opinion/story/cm-yumnam-khemchand-must-act-reining-in-paolienlal-haokip-is-essential-for-lasting-peace-1348550-2026-02-19?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-02-19 15:39:00
