Women protesters storm NPP leader’s home over Arambai Tenngol remarks

Imphal, April 4: Dozens of women protesters attempted to storm the residence of Yumnam Joykumar, president of the National People's Party (NPP) Manipur unit, on Friday over his recent remarks regarding Meitei group Arambai Tenngol. The police managed to prevent the situation from escalating, allowing a few representatives to meet Joykumar.

The protesters, members of Apunba Manipur Emasing (United Manipur Mothers), were demanding an apology from Joykumar for his statements on social media, where he questioned the role of Arambai Tenngol in the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meiteis and Kukis.

In a post on social media platform, Joykumar had criticised Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, accusing his government of mishandling the crisis and allowing groups like Arambai Tenngol to attack the Kuki community.

The protestors gathered at Joykumar’s residence in Naoremthong, Imphal West, but were stopped by security personnel. A few representatives were allowed to meet Joykumar, who reportedly clarified that he had corrected his statement on social media by replacing the term "Arambai" with "civilians." However, he refused to issue a public apology, leading to further discontent among the protesters.

Following the meeting, the president of Apunba Manipur Emasing stated, "Joykumar has corrected his statement online, but we demand a public apology. Since he refused, we will consult with Arambai Tenngol and decide on the next steps."

Meanwhile, the National People's Youth Front (NPYF), the youth wing of NPP Manipur, issued a letter to Arambai Tenngol, expressing regret over the incident. The letter stated that the reference to Arambai Tenngol in Joykumar’s post had been removed and acknowledged the misunderstanding caused. It also reaffirmed NPP’s support for Arambai Tenngol and village volunteers defending the state.

The controversy arose amid escalating tensions in Manipur, with accusations flying between NPP and Chief Minister Biren Singh over the handling of the Kuki-Meitei conflict.

Joykumar, in his social media posts, accused the BJP-led government of failing to protect lives and property, allowing ethnic violence to escalate. He also criticised Singh for dragging late NPP founder P.A. Sangma’s name into the issue and misrepresenting historical events related to the conflict.

The situation remains tense, with protests likely to continue as the demand for a public apology persists.