Students rubbish PUCL report
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 01 2025: Students from various schools and colleges staged a protest today, burning copies of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) report on the Manipur crisis.

The protest demonstration held under the supervision of Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) Students' Front saw students from institutions including GP Women's College, Imphal College, Thoubal College, Naorem Birahari College, Moirang College, YK College, L Sanoi College, Liberal College, Biramangol College, Waikhom Mani Girls' College, Thoubal College, Kha-Manipur College, Maharaj Bodhchandra College, SK Women's College, Manipur College, TG Higher Secondary School, Ibotonsana Higher Secondary School, CC Higher Secondary School, Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Bishnupur Higher Secondary School, Moirang Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, Chaoyaima Higher Secondary School (Thoubal), Lilong Higher Secondary School torched the copies of the PUCL report in front of their school and college gates.

The students claimed the report unfairly blamed the Meetei community and demanded its withdrawal and an apology from PUCL, while shouting slogans against the perceived bias.

Slogans such as "We condemn the biased PUCL report", "PUCL must apologize to the people of Manipur," and "The Government's silence on the PUCL report is unacceptable" were raised by the protesting students among others.

Manipur College Students' Union general secretary Yumnam Johnson Meitei told the media that the PUCL report is flawed and misleading, as it claims the crisis began with Meiteis targeting Kukis.

He said that the report deliberately omitted crimes committed by Kuki narco-terrorists against Meiteis, such as the cases of Linthoingambi and Hemjit, and the killing of three women and three children, including an infant, in Jiribam among others.

Asserting that all the indigenous people of Manipur know the report is incorrect, he urged the Governor to denounce it.

Noting that Manipur is currently under President's Rule, he urged the Governor to clarify his stance on the PUCL report to the public.

He further stated that the report is unacceptable as it inaccurately portrays Meiteis as initiating the conflict and Kukis as retaliating.

The students will continue various forms of protest until the PUCL withdraws its "one-sided" report, he added.

Other protesting students claimed that the PUCL report is baseless, as it was compiled after hearing only one side of the story.

Stating that the Manipur crisis began with Kuki narco-terrorists launching a violent campaign against Meiteis, the students maintained that the report, however, portrays Kuki narco-terrorists as innocent and vilifies the Meeteis.

The report openly challenged the Meeteis by placing the entire blame on the community with incorrect information, they said and added that the Government should not remain silent on the issue and take actions against the PUCL.

At Moirang, the protesters accused the PUCL of attempting to stoke the crisis instead of working towards peace by publishing a misleading report.

They demanded that the Government ban the report, citing its one-sided nature and potential to trigger another wave of unrest.

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