Last month, Joseph Khamthangsang Serto Kom, a tribal student from the Kom community, died from injuries sustained in a violent ragging incident at NERIM in Guwahati, Assam. Beaten by senior students and left in the ICU for 19 days, his death underscores the dangerous environment faced by youth from Northeast India in educational settings. In response, NGOs advocating for tribal welfare, including the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad (ABAVP) and the World Human Rights Organization (WHRO), have remained alarmingly silent.
These organizations have previously been vocal in support of the Kuki community amid ongoing violence in Manipur, actively seeking justice for them, meeting Central Ministers, and condemning the Meitei community for the unrest. However, their selective outrage concerning the harassment of tribal members in other regions suggests they may be acting as affiliates of Kuki organizations, raising concerns over the influence Kukis exert on ABAVP.
The new ABAVP Northeast Zonal Branch was established this year, following Lucky Bhau’s visits to Kangpokpi and Churachandpur, reportedly aimed only at creating propaganda materials. The office in Guwahati is led by self-titled President Maria Mangte and Vice President Marina Singson, both from the Kuki community, while there are no representatives from Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, or Tripura, areas with significant tribal populations. This exclusion raises serious questions about ABAVP’s dedication to inclusive tribal representation, indicating a troubling focus on advancing Kuki interests at the expense of broader tribal diversity.
The newly formed Manipur branch of ABAVP seems to have no formal office and is also entirely Kuki-represented, disregarding the state’s largest tribe, the Nagas, with its leadership mirroring that of the previous branch by featuring predominantly Kuki figures.
From the streets of Delhi to campuses in Guwahati and Bengaluru, incidents of violence and discrimination against Northeast individuals occur frequently, revealing systemic racism. Yet, ABAVP, which prides itself on being a protector of tribal rights, continues to remain quiet. This silence is not merely an oversight; it’s indicative of a deliberate choice to amplify certain narratives while ignoring others that conflict with their agenda.
Consider recent distressing incidents that should have compelled ABAVP to speak out. Why has there been no word from ABAVP regarding the suspicious death of Priyaluxmi Devi Khangembam, a 20-year-old Manipuri woman found dead in Delhi in April? Her death, initially ruled as suicide, raised concerns among her family about potential foul play-yet ABAVP, despite its claims of commitment to tribal safety, remained silent.
Similarly, the murder of Lhing Janeng, a 27-year-old Kuki woman, by her partner in Munirka, Delhi, on April 10, 2025, went without any outcry from ABAVP, revealing a troubling disregard for victims unless they fit a certain narrative.
In August 2025, a Class 9 tribal student in Sikkim suffered through caste-based torture, including burns, yet ABAVP had nothing to say. That same month, 17 Northeast students experienced sexual harassment at the Sri Sharda Institute in Delhi, which again failed to elicit any response from the organization.
Even more incidents have surfaced, including harassment of a Northeast woman by Delhi Police in September, a wave of suicides among Northeast women, and several dehumanizing acts against Northeast individuals, all met with notable silence from ABAVP.
The organization’s failure to acknowledge these cases demonstrates a troubling bias. Why the selective focus on issues in Manipur while ignoring broader discrimination against Northeast tribals? This silence starkly contrasts with ABAVP’s active involvement in the Meitei-Kuki conflict, where they have consistently emphasized Kuki grievances, further deepened by misleading narratives asserting Meitei aggression and historical claims lacking factual foundations.
The implications of Lucky Jadhav’s leadership raise questions about his motivations in exploiting ABAVP to fuel anti-Meitei sentiments while ignoring crucial tribal welfare issues. As a failed candidate for the Indian National Congress, his actions have perpetuated tensions rather than fostered solutions.
This focus on divisive narratives indicates a shift in ABAVP from being a developmental organization to a tool for selective activism. Their recent establishment of a YouTube channel aimed at broadcasting propaganda against the Meitei community highlights how much the organization has strayed from its original mission.
In a recent video, Jadhav made incendiary claims that Meiteis are immigrants from Myanmar who seized indigenous Kuki territories. Complaints against him were filed by community organizations, calling for his expulsion and a public apology.
Moreover, Jadhav’s identity as a person possibly descending from Maharashtra complicates his claims about indigeneity, raising further questions about his authenticity and the integrity of his leadership.
For ABAVP to regain credibility, they must genuinely focus on tribal well-being and the broader history of all communities in Manipur rather than perpetuating a narrow narrative that fuels division and unrest. Their role should be to safeguard the Adivasi community and their sacred places, rather than become a mouthpiece for those engaged in political strife. The indigenous people of Manipur call upon NGOs to protect their cultural heritage, emphasizing the need for a commitment to their ancestral practices and beliefs to ensure their significance for future generations.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/opinion/story/kuki-hijacked-ngos-under-scrutiny-for-selective-outrage-over-northeast-tribal-suffering-1286196-2025-10-04?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-10-04 14:22:00
