Imphal, January 21, 2026: The Any Kuki Tribes’ Youth Organisation (AKTYO) on Sunday issued a detailed statement asserting the constitutional and historical legitimacy of the Kuki tribe in Manipur, firmly defending the community’s status as a Scheduled Tribe (ST).
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In a memorandum released to the public, AKTYO said the Kuki tribe’s inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list is legally sound and rooted in history. The organisation recalled that during the colonial period, more than 126 Kuki villages were destroyed and numerous Kuki leaders were imprisoned or exiled. It maintained that the conflict during that era was an armed defence of indigenous territory rather than a rebellion, which, it argued, presupposes lawful sovereign authority over Kuki lands.
Highlighting historical recognition, AKTYO pointed to freedom fighter records linked to the Indian National Army (INA). It stated that out of 188 freedom fighters from Manipur officially recognised by the Government of India, 162 were Kukis, with their names recorded at the INA Memorial Complex. According to the organisation, this recognition serves as prima facie evidence of Indian nationality, indigenous status and permanent territorial rootedness of the Kuki people.
The youth body also responded to recent attempts questioning the tribe’s constitutional status, asserting that census interpretations or law-and-order narratives cannot alter constitutional identity or negate Scheduled Tribe recognition. AKTYO termed public repudiations issued by the Thadou Inpi General Headquarters as unauthorised and lacking unanimity, and therefore constitutionally irrelevant.
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In its concluding remarks, the organisation made three key assertions: that “Any Kuki Tribe” is a valid and precise Scheduled Tribe entry; that Thadou is constitutionally recognised as a constituent Kuki tribe; and that claims alleging vagueness or illegitimacy of the Kuki tribe are false and void ab initio.
AKTYO further emphasised that the Constitution of India has consistently upheld the Kuki tribe’s Scheduled Tribe status from 1951 to 2002. It warned against attempts to distort this position for political or sectarian interests, stating that the memorandum was issued in the interest of constitutional clarity, public truth and the protection of Scheduled Tribe rights.
