Manipur Unity Panel: CM Proposes Committee Representing All 36 Communities

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has announced plans to form a committee representing all 36 communities in the state to promote peace, harmony and unity. The proposal follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s query about whether a dedicated body existed to bring the communities together. Singh said the state government would initiate the process and consult Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba and all MLAs before proceeding with the proposed committee.

Singh announced the plan on Saturday while addressing a felicitation ceremony for hill chiefs representing different tribes of Manipur at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Imphal. The event followed the inauguration of the Hill (Tribal) Chiefs’ Guest House at Palace Compound as part of the Mera Hou Chongba Festival 2026. The chief minister urged the public to support the proposed committee, saying it would seek to strengthen cohesion among communities and encourage inclusive development.

Manipur is home to 36 ethnic communities, and Singh expressed hope that the festival would help usher in peace and prosperity while strengthening brotherhood among the state’s people. He emphasised that all communities had contributed to protecting and preserving Manipur, calling for mutual trust, understanding and peaceful coexistence. He said the proposed initiative would seek to build on this shared history and encourage stronger relationships across the state.

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Mera Hou Chongba is a traditional festival celebrating unity, brotherhood, peace and harmony among Manipur’s communities. The newly inaugurated guest house is intended to strengthen ties between the state’s hill and valley populations by providing a dedicated facility for tribal chiefs visiting Imphal. Singh also recalled that the Maharaja of Manipur had historically travelled to and stayed in the hill areas for more than 100 days each year, highlighting the longstanding connections between the communities.

Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba, addressing the gathering, said people travelling from the hill areas to participate in Mera Hou Chongba had previously relied on hotels for accommodation. This year, hill chiefs will gather at the newly established guest house to celebrate the festival. He said the facility marked an important effort by the state government to support the participation of hill communities in the annual event.

The proposed committee is intended to provide a platform for representatives of Manipur’s diverse communities to promote cooperation and understanding. Singh said he would consult the Maharaja and legislators on its formation and appealed for public support. The initiative was announced as part of the government’s broader efforts to encourage unity among the state’s hill and valley communities through dialogue, shared cultural traditions and inclusive development.

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