‘We All Should Think for Manipur’: CM Khemchand Singh Appeals for Unity
Addressing a Har Ghar Tiranga rally in Imphal, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh called on Meiteis, Nagas and Kukis to put Manipur's collective interests above community-specific concerns.
IMPHAL- Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has called for greater unity among the state’s different communities, saying that Meiteis, Nagas and Kukis should not think only in terms of their respective communities but should work collectively for Manipur.
The Chief Minister made the remarks while participating in a Har Ghar Tiranga Yatra organised by the Imphal Central District of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and hosted by Singjamei Mandal BJP in Imphal on Sunday. He was accompanied by his spouse Joybala Yumnam, BJP Manipur in-charge Dr Ajeet Gopachade, State BJP president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi, BJP MLAs Thokchom Radheyshyam and Kh Joykishan Singh, party functionaries and supporters from the Singjamei Assembly constituency.
CM appeals for a united Manipur
Addressing the gathering, Khemchand Singh said Manipur’s territorial integrity has historically been safeguarded by its communities working together.
He appealed to the state’s major communities to move beyond narrow community interests.
“Meiteis should not think only for Meiteis, Nagas should not think only for Nagas, Kukis should not think only for Kukis. We all should think for Manipur,” he said.
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The Chief Minister also said that Meiteis should play the role of a “big brother” and help keep Manipur united. The remarks came against the backdrop of his recent visit to Kangpokpi, where he said he received a warm welcome from residents and found no indication of an intention to initiate a highway blockade.
Focus on peace and preventing divisions
Khemchand Singh said he suspected that some people were attempting to drive a wedge between communities.
He referred to his recent visit to Jiribam district, bordering Assam, where he said people from different communities had come together on a common platform for peace. He subsequently referred to a blast in Tronglaobi village in Bishenpur district in which two children were killed, saying such incidents indicated that there were people who did not want peace to return to Manipur.
The Chief Minister appealed to people to unite as Indians and work towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat and a Viksit Manipur.
Har Ghar Tiranga becomes backdrop for unity message
The Chief Minister’s appeal came during a programme organised as part of the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign, linking the display of the National Flag with a broader message of unity and national identity.
BJP Manipur in-charge Dr Ajeet Gopachade said Manipur was moving towards peace and development under the Chief Minister’s leadership and commended the role of women who participated in the rally despite rain.
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State BJP president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi said the BJP government was making efforts to restore peace and that the Chief Minister had been regularly visiting hill districts. She said the party remained committed to taking the state towards peace and prosperity.
A political message centred on unity
The statement is significant because the Chief Minister’s central message was not limited to the symbolism of the Tiranga but extended to Manipur’s continuing challenge of maintaining unity among its different communities.
By specifically naming Meiteis, Nagas and Kukis and urging them to place the interests of Manipur above community-specific considerations, the Chief Minister framed national unity and the state’s territorial integrity as shared responsibilities.
The remarks were made at a BJP-organised event, and the government’s broader political claims about progress towards peace and normalcy are presented in the press release issued by the Singjamei Mandal BJP.
