Manipur CM invokes Bible, Buddha’s teachings to pitch for peace in Kuki and Naga areas

Published 9 July 2026 · politics

GUWAHATI Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh invoked the Bible and the teachings of Gautama Buddha to appeal for peace during his visit to Kangpokpi

GUWAHATI Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh invoked the Bible and the teachings of Gautama Buddha to appeal for peace during his visit to Kangpokpi and Senapati districts on Wednesday (July 8, 2026). He interacted with villagers, including those abducted after the killing of three church leaders on May 13 and released later, in Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi and Naga-majority Senapati district, which borders Nagaland. “You are Christians; the Nagas are also Christians. When you open the Bible, it sends the message of forgive and forget. I am a Hindu and a believer in Gautama Buddha, who preached peace. We should all work for the return of peace in Manipur,” the Chief Minister told church leaders at Kangpokpi Bazaar.

The church leaders requested him to ensure that the government delivers justice by arresting the gunmen who ambushed and killed the three church leaders. The Chief Minister said justice would be delivered irrespective of community. “Meitei, Kuki, or Naga, anyone doing wrong will be punished,” he asserted. The chief of Kangpokpi’s Taphou Kuki village, Lengmang Chongloi, sought a security post for the village as it borders Senapati district. “We also request you to build a community hall and a market shed in our village of 250 households and 1,200 people,” he said. Haokholen Kipgen, president of the Sadar Hills Village Chiefs Association, urged the Chief Minister to help lift the ongoing blockade of Highway 2 by Naga groups.

“People of Kangpokpi district are suffering because of this blockade,” he said. Highway 2 links the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley with the rest of the country through Nagaland to the north. Kangpokpi district lies between the valley and Senapati district. Referring to the demand for a security post at Taphou, the Chief Minister said efforts were under way to create a peaceful atmosphere that would facilitate free movement on the highways. He also said he had instructed the Kangpokpi district administration to pay special attention to the healthcare needs of Kuki internally displaced persons. At Senapati, the Chief Minister again underscored the need for all communities to find common ground in their Manipuri identity.

He thanked the United Naga Council for facilitating the safe release of the Kuki hostages while reviewing ongoing development projects. During the tour, the Chief Minister was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Losii Dikho, MLAs Tongbram Robindro Singh, Sheikh Noorul Hassan and J. Kumo Sha, and senior officials, including Home Commissioner N. Ashok Kumar and Horticulture Commissioner T.N. Panmei.