Hmar Inpui, apex body of Hmar tribe in Manipur slams India Today NE and its news contributor for journalistic misconduct

Apex body of Hmar tribe in Manipur, Hmar Inpui has slammed India Today NE and one of its news contributor for filing and publishing a news report based on a press release source from social media.

Recently, a press release issued in the name of a group or an organisation called Hmar Tlangval, was found circulating in social media expressing its support for the Meitei Alliance and Thadou Inpi Manipur's call to delist "Any Kuki Tribes" (AKT) from the Scheduled Tribes list.

Reacting to the press release and the news filed by Naorem Mohen which was recently published by India Today NE, Hmar Inpui issued a press release on Wednesday expressing deep concern by the recent wave of misleading propaganda that attempts to drag the Hmar community into narrow localist narratives.

Hmar Inpui stated that "Naorem Mohen happens to be a contributor for India Today NE and as such the media house ought to take mandatory disciplinary action for the gross journalistic misconduct".

On June 23, 2025, India Today NE reported that a ghost organization named "Hmar Tlangval," allegedly floated by Naorem Mohen, a Meitei individual, had expressed support for the Meitei Alliance and Thadou Inpi Manipur's call to delist "Any Kuki Tribes" (AKT) from the Scheduled Tribes list stated the release.

Hmar Inpui stated that such messages, circulated by an unidentified WhatsApp channel handler, are both damaging and irresponsible. In an era where information spreads rapidly, disinformation and the misuse of social media play a dangerous role in polarizing public opinion and fueling extremist sentiments".

The apex body of Hmar tribe also stated that the article was politically motivated -a false flag operation intended to create fake tribal consensus and sow communal discord.

Further the release stated that Hmar Inpui has never, and will never, endorse the agenda of any particular community at the expense of others and it remain steadfast in its collective political aspirations and will not allow it's name to be misused by baseless propaganda and toxic disinformation campaigns.

Hmar Inpui urged the individual or group behind the misleading WhatsApp campaign to cease fabricating disinformation and refrain from exploiting the Hmar name to serve their unfounded and divisive objectives.