Manipur plans to set up a committee representing all 36 communities of the state to strengthen unity, peace and harmony, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has announced. The proposal follows a query from Prime Minister Narendra Modi about whether such a body existed to bring all of Manipur’s communities together, the Chief Minister said.
He said he would consult titular king Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba and all Members of the Legislative Assembly before constituting the committee, and appealed to the public to support the effort. The committee would aim to create a more cohesive social environment, encourage mutual understanding and promote inclusive development among the state’s diverse communities.
Announcement During Mera Hou Chongba
The announcement came during a felicitation ceremony for hill chiefs representing different tribes of Manipur at the Darbar Hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Imphal, held as part of the Mera Hou Chongba Festival 2026. The festival celebrates unity, brotherhood and peaceful coexistence among the state’s hill and valley communities.
Recalling the state’s history, the Chief Minister said all communities had contributed to protecting Manipur’s land, identity and cultural heritage, citing shared struggles such as the Anglo-Manipur War and the Seven Years’ Devastation. He expressed hope that the festival would usher in peace and prosperity and strengthen bonds of brotherhood.
Hill Chiefs’ Guest House Inaugurated
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Hill (Tribal) Chiefs’ Guest House at Palace Compound in Imphal, built at a sanctioned cost of around Rs 7.12 crore with funding from the North Eastern Council. The facility gives hill community leaders visiting the capital a dedicated place to stay, replacing the need to rely on commercial hotels during events such as Mera Hou Chongba.
The Chief Minister described the guest house as an important step towards strengthening understanding between hill and valley communities, and credited sustained efforts by Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba in pursuing the project with the state government. Construction of the facility began in 2020, according to reports, and the present government helped see it through to completion.
No timeline has been announced for constituting the committee, and its success will depend on whether communities currently at odds agree to take part, observers note. The initiative comes against the backdrop of prolonged ethnic tensions in the state since May 2023.
Security and reconciliation remain central challenges across the Northeast, where intelligence inputs point to attempts to stir violence, while border tensions in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh also continue to demand attention.
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