Cops In Northeast States Search For Kuki Student Leader In Manipur Hate Speech Case

The police in Manipur and four other states in the northeast are searching for the leader of a student body of the Kuki tribes against whom a first information report (FIR) has been filed for allegedly giving a hate speech against members of the Meitei community.

Paojakhup Guite of the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) in a public speech allegedly threatened Meiteis not to pass by Kuki settlements while going from the state capital Imphal valley to Ukhril district, the venue of the Shirui Lily Festival to be held from May 20 to 24.

The police posted a screengrab of a video that showed Mr Guite holding a mic and addressing a roadside gathering in Kuki-dominant Churachandpur district in southern Manipur. In the video that surfaced on social media, the Kuki student leader spoke in his tribe's dialect.

Mr Guite's whereabouts are unknown as at 5 pm on Saturday.

"As regards to one Paojakhup Guite, Prez KSO Delhi threats (in a video ) to the Meitei, to not allow to cross the buffer zone to attend the upcoming Shirui Festival in Ulhrul [sic], which is circulated in social media since yesterday, CC Pur police has registered an FIR and all efforts including raid etc in nearby Distts are being made for his immediate arrest," the Manipur Police said in the post on X.

"The police of neighbouring States of Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland & Meghalaya etc have been requested for arresting him as quickly as possible. All necessary security arrangements shall be made to ensure security of people attending the Shirui festival," the police said.

As regards to one Paojakhup Guite, Prez KSO Delhi threats (in a video ) to the Meitei, to not allow to cross the buffer zone to attend the upcoming Shirui Festival in Ulhrul, which is circulated in social media since yesterday, CC Pur police has registered an FIR and all efforts... pic.twitter.com/m8UuFJppnF

— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) May 17, 2025

The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) and the KSO in separate statements alleged selective application of criminal law by the police, and questioned why no Meitei who allegedly gave hate speeches have not been arrested.

KOHUR is also the petitioner in the audio tapes case linked to former chief minister N Biren Singh.

"Mr. Guite's recent public address in Churachandpur - where he critically questioned the true motives behind the organisation of the Shirui Lily Festival - highlighted valid concerns about deliberate encroachments on demarcated buffer zones, which were established to maintain peace amid a devastating ethnic conflict. His words echoed the deeply rooted fears of the Kuki people, who have long endured state apathy, systemic exclusion, and institutionalised discrimination," the KSO (Delhi and NCR) said in the statement.

"This is not an isolated episode. It is symptomatic of a larger, deeply entrenched system of state-sponsored persecution that deliberately targets Kuki voices, shields hate speech from dominant groups, and exacerbates the already fragile communal fault lines in Manipur. The law is being weaponised to suppress dissent and terrorise a marginalised population into silence," the Kuki students' body said.

Meitei groups alleged Kuki organisations are trying to cover up, play "victim card" and sugarcoat Mr Guite's hate speech in which he allegedly called for harming members of the Meitei community who pass by Kuki villages on their way to Ukhrul district. They also pointed at alleged twisting of a Meitei professor's words in a news debate to make it seem like hate speech, when the professor only said "Kuki terrorists" and not referred to the community as a whole in calling for action.

"This dangerous and hate-filled speech must be met with the strictest legal consequences. Mr. Guite is a habitual offender. Delhi Police reportedly registered an FIR against him in March 2025... The Shirui Lily Festival... is a celebration of cultural heritage, nature, and unity. The Meitei community's participation in this festival symbolises inclusivity and harmony," the civil group Meitei Heritage Society (MHS) said in a statement.

"It is pertinent to note that this open call for violence is a direct consequence of repeated failures of the authorities to enforce the rule of law... both the state and central authorities have consistently failed to act decisively. Mr Guite's act is a manifestation of these lapses that has emboldened extremists like this individual to act with impunity and mock the institutions of the Indian State," the MHS said.

Meitei social media users have also tagged the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Kerala's Kozhikode, with screenshots showing Mr Guite thanking the business school for offering him admission to a PhD programme in management.

The Manipur Tourism Department says the Shirui Lily Festival is themed on the state's rare flower and it seeks to foster sustainable and responsible tourism across the state. It says the event also serves to raise awareness about the endangered Shirui Lily, a botanical treasure found exclusively in Manipur's Shirui Hills in Ukhrul district, the state's highest hill station some 83 km east of Imphal and home to the Tangkhul Nagas.

Manipur Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Singh went to Ukhrul for two days last week to oversee security arrangements for the festival. The state which is under the President's rule has assured it would provide security for members of all communities who want to attend the Shirui Lily Festival.

The Kuki tribes and the Meiteis have been fighting since May 2023 over a range of issues such as land rights and political representation. Over 260 have been killed and 50,000 internally displaced by the violence.

On Friday, Kuki civil society organisations and MLAs announced they will no longer engage with the government unless it resumes "substantive political dialogue" with the two umbrella organisations that represent 25 militant groups - the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People's Front (UPF). The KNO and the UPF have signed the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the Centre and the state government.