UKHRUL, NOV 21: A series of Manipur tribal organisations on Thursday and Friday issued sharp responses to the complaint lodged by the office of Rajya Sabha MP and Manipur’s titular king, Leishemba Sanajaoba, against IGP Themthing Ngashangva. The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) led the coordinated pushback, calling the complaint “unjust” and “highly uncalled for.”
In a statement, ANSAM said the report submitted to the Governor on November 20 wrongly targeted a senior police officer who was “carrying out his responsibilities diligently during a challenging and volatile situation.” The association said the move had hurt the sentiments of the Naga community and accused the MP’s office of escalating communal tensions.
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ANSAM also expressed concern over what it described as a surge of inflammatory and racially charged posts on social media following the complaint. The association warned that such content risked deepening divisions at a time when Manipur needed “calm judgment and collective maturity.” It urged the MP to withdraw the complaint to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
Following ANSAM’s objections, other Naga bodies issued similar statements defending the IGP.
The Tangkhul Katamnao Long Imphal (TKLI) said the complaint was based on a “one-sided and unverified narrative” and accused the MP’s office of misrepresenting the actions of an officer who was responding to aggressive protesters. TKLI said attempts to call for suspension of the IGP were “highly irresponsible” and warned that divisive social media content connected to the incident would invite legal action.
The TKS also rejected the allegations, calling them “misleading and unfounded.” The student body said the IGP had acted in accordance with law and procedure, and cautioned that communalising the incident was unacceptable. TKS urged authorities to act against defamatory social media posts and those responsible for circulating them.
The Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM) echoed these concerns, terming the allegations against the IGP “unfortunate” and accusing the MP’s office of attempting to tarnish his image. TYCM warned individuals circulating derogatory remarks about the officer to immediately stop, saying it would respond firmly to such actions.
The Phalee Youth Organisation while condemning what it noted as “derogatory language” used against the IPS officer during the protest said it supports the legal proceedings initiated under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for assault on a public servant, obstruction of duty,
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The coordinated responses from the civil bodies come amid the November 20 protest near the Palace compound, during which the MP’s office alleged that IGP Ngashangva behaved inappropriately and threatened security personnel. The Manipur Police, in a separate statement, said the officer had not entered the palace premises and had acted to control a violent mob.