WG formed to take on false narrative of PUCL
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 30 2025: The PUCL Independent People's Tribunal Report was, beyond doubt, politically engineered to demonize the Meeteis, destabilize Manipur, and malign the community before the National and international community, a public review meeting on the controversial report on Manipur conflict has established today.

The public review meeting was organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCO-MI) at Hotel Imphal today.

It decided to form a Working Group under the aegis of the COCOMI to constitute a committee that will prepare a fact-based Review Report to counter PUCL's distorted narrative, and lodge an FIR, under relevant sections of the BNS, against PUCL members for "one-sided and inflammatory reporting".

Presided and moderated by COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba and retired Professor Ch Priyoranjan respectively, the public review meeting saw participation of eminent personalities.

IGNTU Political Science Associate Professor Dr Homen Thangjam, DMU History Associate Professor Dr Malem Ningthouja, DMU Political Science Associate Professor Dr Noni Arambam- Associate Professor, Impact TV Chief Editor Yumnam Rupachandra and The Frontier Manipur Executive Editor Sadokpam Dhiren attended the public review meeting as speakers.

The meeting undertook a threadbare chapter-wise review of the Independent People's Tribunal Report of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), and exposed "glaring distortions and partisan biases".

The findings and conclusions drawn by the public review meeting are reproduced below as per a press communique of the COCOMI .

Branding entire Meetei community as "Anti-India"

The PUCL-IPT report dangerously generalizes and vilifies the entire Meetei population, portraying their democratic movements and civil society groups as secessionist and anti-National.

Such misrepresentation is not only factually baseless but also deeply offensive, amounting to a direct attack on the integrity and patriotism of an indigenous community that has made immense contributions to India.

Misrepresentation of judicial orders

The report wrongly claims that the Manipur High Court directed the State Government to recommend ST status for the Meeteis, despite categorical clarification from the former Chief Justice that no such authority rests with the Court.

One-sided portrayal of violence

While repeatedly highlighting incidents of arms looting in the valley, the report conveniently ignores large-scale looting of weapons from police posts in the hills and the well-documented role of armed Kuki groups.

Suppressing critical facts

The report downplays the involvement of heavily armed Kuki militants, cross-border infiltration, and the use of drones and sophisticated weaponry, while disproportionately blaming Meitei civil society.

Biased narrative construction

The PUCL Tribunal recycles discredited and withdrawn reports, including the Editors' Guild report, and aligns its findings with separatist propaganda.

These findings establish beyond doubt that the PUCL Tribunal Report was politically engineered to demonize the Meeteis, destabilize Manipur, and malign the community before the National and international community.

Recommendations of the public review meeting

The public review meeting recommended the formation of a working group under the aegis of COCOMI to constitute a committee that will prepare a fact-based Review Report to counter PUCL's "distorted narrative".

It recommended steps to fix accountability and ensure justice against individuals and organizations that deliberately branded the Meeteis as "anti-India" and manipulated facts for political ends.

The public review meeting further recommended lodging FIRs under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against PUCL members for "one-sided and inflammatory reporting under the guise of human rights".

"The Public Review strongly emphasized the urgent need for responsible and balanced documentation of facts to uphold justice, safeguard the dignity of Manipuri people, and protect peace and harmony in Manipur," COCOMI said.

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