Tuiṭhaphai, May 17, 2025, Virthli (ONP): The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has vehemently condemned the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) by the Manipur Police against Mr. Paojakhup Guite, the current President of the Kuki Students' Organisation, Delhi and NCR. In a press release issued today, KOHUR described the action as "arbitrary and discriminatory."
According to the press release, the FIR stems from remarks made by Mr. Guite during a recent speech in Churachandpur. Guite reportedly suggested that the upcoming Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul appeared to be a "covert attempt" by certain Meitei organisations to encroach upon demarcated buffer zones, an action he stated he would oppose. KOHUR noted that subsequently, numerous Kuki civil society organisations have clarified there is no coordinated opposition to the festival itself.
KOHUR's statement focused heavily on what it termed the "selective application of criminal law." The organisation questioned why, if Mr. Guite's speech warranted criminal prosecution, no legal action has been taken against Prof. Premananda, who, in a televised statement, allegedly incited violence by labeling Kukis as terrorists and calling for their extermination. KOHUR argued that this disparity, criminalizing dissent from a Kuki leader while remaining silent on alleged hate speech, reveals a "pattern of bias and selective enforcement of the law."
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The press release further highlighted the ongoing institutional discrimination and misuse of state machinery, referencing the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India's judicial notice in multiple proceedings regarding the "complete erosion of law and order in Manipur" and the resulting loss of public confidence in state institutions. KOHUR asserted that numerous perpetrators of ethnic violence, including those involved in heinous acts, continue to enjoy impunity.
KOHUR stated that this selective persecution is a root cause of the recent outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur, claiming that the "unchecked harassment, criminalisation, and vilification of the Kuki community by state actors" has intensified communal fault lines and undermined the possibility of peace and reconciliation.
The organisation urged that the State Police Force must not be "weaponised as an instrument of political and ethnic persecution," arguing that targeting Kuki individuals under the guise of law enforcement undermines the rule of law and threatens democratic governance.
Concluding its statement, KOHUR reiterated its firm opposition to such actions by the State Police and pledged that any further attempts to harass, intimidate, or selectively prosecute members of the Kuki community will be challenged through all available constitutional and legal remedies, promising that such actions will be "resisted, exposed, and met with appropriate legal consequences."
The FIR and subsequent police action against Paojakhup Guite follow a video circulating on social media, in which he is alleged to have issued threats related to the Shirui Festival. Authorities have confirmed raids and efforts are ongoing to locate and arrest him. Meanwhile, the police in neighbouring states have also been alerted.
This development marks another flashpoint in the already volatile situation in Manipur, where ethnic tensions between Kuki-Zomi-Hmar and Meitei communities have remained high since violent clashes erupted in 2023.
