Imphal, August 15, 2025: In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, August 15, the Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) - the apex body of the Thadou tribe in Manipur - has issued an ultimatum to the Kuki Inpi Karnataka (KIK), demanding an immediate withdrawal of what it calls "illegal diktats" and a social boycott against certain members of the Thadou community. TIM has made it clear that Thadous are a distinct tribal group and are not part of the Kuki community.
The ultimatum comes a day after KIK reportedly announced a “social boycott” against three Thadou individuals on August 14, accusing them of participating in a peace dialogue not linked to Kuki groups. According to TIM, the event in question - "Road to Peace: Covenant of Understanding between TIM and Manipur CSOs" held on August 6 - was aimed solely at fostering peaceful coexistence and community understanding in Manipur, without any political or ethnical allegiance to Kukis.
"We are not Kuki, nor are we part of the 'Any Kuki tribes' category on Manipur's Scheduled Tribes list," the statement read. "The Thadous have our own recognized apex body, and no Kuki group, whether in Manipur or Karnataka, has authority over our people."
Key points from TIM’s statement:
• The Thadou community rejects any attempt to impose a Kuki identity.
• Thadous are subject only to the Indian Constitution, not to extra-constitutional diktats from any other community.
• KIK’s actions are described as baseless, illegal, and without jurisdiction.
• If KIK fails to withdraw its diktats within 48 hours, TIM will approach constitutional authorities for redress.
The Thadou apex body also challenged the legal authority of the Kuki Inpi Karnataka, asking on what grounds it could impose its directives on a different tribal community. The statement accused KIK of violating constitutional protections and questioned whether Kuki Inpi groups recognize Indian citizenship and laws.
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"While Kuki Inpi may hold authority over its own members, they have none over the Thadou people," said Manggou Thadou, Joint General Secretary of TIM. "We will not allow this to go unchallenged."
The confrontation highlights ongoing tensions between different tribal communities in Manipur and the wider Northeast, where ethnic identity and political affiliations have often been contentious issues. By directly invoking the Constitution of India, TIM has positioned this as not merely an inter-community dispute but as a matter of law, rights, and national integrity.
As of the time of reporting, Kuki Inpi Karnataka has not issued a public response to TIM’s ultimatum.
