IMPHAL, April 16: A Meitei organisation has called for urgent intervention by Union Home Minister Amit Shah following a blockade that denied access to the sacred Thangjing Hill in ethnic violence-hit Churachandpur, Manipur. Thousands of Kuki-Zo women staged sit-ins across Churachandpur on Monday, demanding a ban on “unauthorised entry” into areas identified as “theirs,” just ahead of the Meitei pilgrimage.
The Meitei Heritage Welfare Foundation (MHWF) highlighted that Thangjing Hill, known as Thangting among Meiteis, is one of their most revered pilgrimage sites and the home of Ibudhou Thangjing, the guardian deity of Manipur. The group stated that annual pilgrimages to the site are a longstanding tradition, particularly during Cheiraoba, the Meitei New Year.
According to the MHWF, pilgrims faced severe intimidation, including death threats, and armed militants were reportedly stationed at the hilltop. Evidence, including video footage and documentation, has been submitted to authorities. The organisation described the blockade as a blatant violation of constitutional rights and an attack on Meitei religious freedom.
“It’s akin to barring Hindus from Kailash Parbat or Muslims from Mecca,” the MHWF wrote in its memorandum to Home Minister Shah, citing infringements of religious freedom, the right to movement, and the right to life.
The group also pointed to a broader trend of obstruction, noting that Meitei Hindus have been unable to visit other pilgrimage sites for two years due to highway blockades. It emphasized that these threats were not merely law-and-order issues but deliberate provocations intended to incite unrest.
Despite the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur and the deployment of over 100,000 security personnel, the MHWF lamented a lack of enforcement of constitutional protections. The organisation referenced a Union home ministry directive from March 1, which mandated unrestricted movement across the state starting March 8, and warned of strict action against any obstruction.
The MHWF urged the Union government to ensure the safety and security of Meitei pilgrims visiting Thangjing Hill and to deploy sufficient security forces to maintain peace and prevent escalation. It also called for legal action against militant groups and supporters hindering the pilgrimage.
“The government of India must now decide whether it will uphold the Constitution and the rights of its citizens, or allow intimidation by armed groups to override the rule of law,” the MHWF stated in its memorandum, which was also submitted to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
Meanwhile, six groups last week released a joint statement warning Meitei pilgrims against climbing Thangjing Hill, which lies between the Meitei-dominated valley and the Kuki-Zo-dominated Churachandpur district. The statement declared that no access to Kuki-Zo land would be allowed until a constitutional settlement between the Union government and the Kuki-Zo community is reached.
It also alleged that Meitei groups were planning to cross a designated buffer zone en route to the hill, warning that any such attempt would be considered a provocation, and that the Meitei community would bear full responsibility for any unrest. The statement stressed the importance of maintaining the status quo to avoid further escalation.
Thangjing Hill, deeply tied to the Meitei spiritual and ancestral heritage, is located within Churachandpur, a region now predominantly inhabited by the Kuki-Zo community. While the Meiteis consider it part of their sacred land, the Kuki-Zo groups have urged the government to safeguard their community’s interests and safety, reiterating their stance on maintaining buffer zones amid ongoing historical and political grievances.
