Tensions Escalate Over Thangjing Hill Pilgrimage as Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal, Manipur MP Sanajaoba Clash on Religious Access
Imphal, April 16: The Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal (KIT) has strongly condemned the Meitei community’s attempt to climb Thangjing Ching (Thangjing Hill), calling it a “deliberate provocation” intended to incite unrest under the guise of religion. In a statement issued on Wednesday, KIT reiterated that until a separate administration is granted, Meiteis must respect the buffer zone and refrain from entering what they describe as Kuki-Zo dominated territory.
The development comes amid a broader standoff over access to the sacred hill, with thousands of Kuki-Zo women staging protests to block Meitei pilgrims during the annual Cheiraoba pilgrimage. The Kuki-Zo groups assert that the political conflict remains unresolved, and warn that any intrusion into the hill zone will not be tolerated.
“Meiteis should not come to our land,” the KIT stated. “Their deep-rooted hatred against the Kuki-Zo community is known worldwide. Without a political settlement, such a move is unacceptable.”
However, the KIT’s stance drew sharp criticism from Meitei leaders and cultural bodies. Manipur Rajya Sabha MP and titular King Sanajaoba Leishemba, responding to media queries during an event at Sana Konung in Imphal, denounced the blockade as unconstitutional.
“Imposing such a dictate goes against the fundamental right to freedom of religion, which is enshrined in the Constitution,” he said, urging central and state authorities to intervene and uphold religious liberty.
The Meitei Heritage Society also condemned the actions and statements by Kuki-Zo civil society organisations, terming them “unconstitutional and provocative.” The society emphasized that the pilgrimage to Thangjing Hill is an age-old spiritual tradition of the Meitei people, who revere Ibudhou Thangjing as a guardian deity.
“This illegal obstruction is akin to preventing Hindus from visiting Kailash Parbat or Muslims from undertaking the Hajj to Mecca,” the group said. “It violates our constitutional rights to religious freedom and free movement.”
Thangjing Hill, or Thangjing Ching-Kaba, holds immense religious significance for the Meitei community. Pilgrims make annual journeys to the site to perform sacred rituals and pay homage to the deity. However, ethnic tensions following last year’s violent clashes have transformed the hill into a flashpoint, lying between the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley and the Kuki-Zo stronghold of Churachandpur.
Over 260 people have been killed and 60,000 displaced since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023. Despite the imposition of President’s Rule in February and the presence of over 100,000 security personnel, blockades and sectarian divisions persist, with fortified buffer zones continuing to divide communities.
As tensions rise over the pilgrimage issue, both communities have appealed to the central government to protect their respective rights. While Kuki-Zo groups demand recognition of territorial claims and political safeguards, Meitei organisations insist on their religious and constitutional entitlements.
The Union Home Ministry has so far maintained that freedom of movement across the state must be guaranteed and had previously issued a directive on March 1 ensuring the same. Whether the directive will be enforced in the face of mounting resistance remains to be seen.