Congress Flags Mounting Hardships, Public Grievances in Kangpokpi, Urges Govt Action

The Sadar Hills District Congress Committee (SH-DCC) has highlighted the hardships and public grievances in Kangpokpi, urging the newly posted Deputy Commissioner, Hemant Kumar, IAS, to immediately address a raft of issues ranging from the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and the ongoing SIR exercise to the economic blockade, highway restrictions and alleged selective delivery of justice amid the prolonged crisis in Manipur.

In a representation submitted to the Deputy Commissioner on Tuesday, the SH-DCC, led by its president Dr Lamtinthang Haokip, demanded that no eligible voter, particularly displaced persons, be left out of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), 2026.

The district Congress committee also called for equal treatment of all IDPs, insisting that there should be no discrimination between those staying in relief camps and those living outside camps while addressing their grievances and extending government welfare measures.

The SH-DCC further appealed to the authorities to defer the Census 2026–27 exercise until the concerns surrounding internally displaced persons (IDPs) are resolved, stressing that displaced families must first be adequately rehabilitated and ensured their rightful participation and representation before any census process is undertaken.

Taking aim at the continuing restrictions on the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway, the SH-DCC said the reopening of the highway for commuters must also guarantee the free movement of essential commodities and daily necessities.

The party said the prolonged economic blockade had inflicted severe hardship on ordinary citizens, daily-wage earners, traders, businessmen and shopkeepers, irrespective of community, with prices of essential commodities soaring and livelihoods being severely disrupted.

The SH-DCC specifically flagged the hardships faced by people in the Twilang area along the IT Road and in the South-West Sadar Hills region, including the Leimakhong-Tingkai area, and demanded that their grievances be addressed without further delay.

In a politically pointed demand, the Congress committee called for all legal processes concerning innocent victims of the violence since May 3, 2023, to be pursued without prejudice, selectivity or political interference, asserting that justice must be delivered with transparency and accountability.

The Congress also drew the Deputy Commissioner’s attention to the recent spate of violence and aggression along the Kangpokpi-Senapati border belt, urging the district administration to take immediate confidence-building measures and initiate dialogue among the concerned stakeholders to prevent further escalation and pave the way for a peaceful and lasting settlement.

It warned that the continuing cycle of violence, uncertainty and insecurity, particularly in the border areas of Kangpokpi, could deepen mistrust, fear and confusion among innocent civilians across communities if not urgently brought under control.

“The Congress party, at all levels, is always ready to extend its helping hand in bringing together all the warring groups,” the SH-DCC said, advocating peaceful dialogue, mutual respect and a political process aimed at achieving lasting peace.

The district Congress leadership also made an unusual political appeal to the district administration, urging it to convene a meeting involving all political parties and functioning community civil society organisations and leaders in Kangpokpi to deliberate collectively on issues affecting the people.

The move comes against the backdrop of heightened uncertainty and renewed tensions in and around Kangpokpi, with the Congress committee cautioning that political manoeuvring and prolonged grievances could further destabilise an already fragile situation.

Calling upon all sections of society to shun violence, the SH-DCC urged people to choose “Truth, Non-Violence and Humanity” and give younger generations an opportunity to build a future free from violence and hatred.

The Congress committee said it stood ready to support measures aimed at restoring justice, peace, harmony and mutual understanding, while seeking solutions that serve all communities in Kangpokpi and Manipur at large.