Thadou Tribes in Manipur Warn Census Cannot Proceed Without Deletion of ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ from ST List

Rafia Tasleem | January 17, 2026 | 07:10 PM IST | Breaking News, India, Politics | Follow on Google News

Thadou Tribes in Manipur Warn Census Cannot Proceed Without Deletion of ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ from ST List

Imphal, January 17, 2026: Civil society organisations representing the Thadou tribe in Manipur have raised serious concerns over the state government’s plan to conduct a census, calling it “reckless, irresponsible, and inherently dangerous” if the controversial ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ (AKT) category is not removed from the state’s official Scheduled Tribes (ST) list first.

The Manipur government had submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on February 8, 2023, seeking the deletion of AKT from the ST list—a process that requires parliamentary approval. The Thadou tribal bodies, including the Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), Thadou Students’ Association (TSA), and Thadou Community International (TCI), said in a joint statement that any census before this deletion could aggravate ethnic tensions and compromise the credibility of the enumeration exercise.

“…Complete deletion of AKT must also precede the National Register of Citizens (NRC); otherwise, the exercise will not yield its intended outcome,” the statement said.

The organisations argued that AKT’s inclusion in the ST list in 2003 was politically motivated and constituted a “grave administrative failure,” allowing illegal immigrants and non-indigenous outsiders to claim ST status and other constitutional entitlements. They warned that conducting a census without correcting this anomaly would undermine the demographic integrity of the state, violate indigenous rights, and pose a threat to national security.

Historically, the AKT category was removed from Manipur’s ST list in 1956 under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act. It was reinstated in 2003 following a request from the then Manipur Congress government, and it returned to the list a year later.

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The Thadou organisations noted that the government had again proposed its removal through cabinet decisions in 2018, 2023, and 2024, and had sent communications to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. “The proposal awaits views from the Registrar General of India,” the statement added.

They highlighted the risks of carrying out a census amid ongoing law-and-order issues in Manipur’s hill districts, where Kuki insurgent groups reportedly exercise coercive control. According to the statement, this could lead to forced misclassification under the AKT category, making post-enumeration corrections “illusory and administratively unworkable.”

The Thadou bodies also clarified differences in how AKT is treated in Manipur versus Assam. While Assam lists all Kuki sub-tribes under the umbrella term ‘Any Kuki Tribes,’ Manipur treats AKT as a distinct tribe, issuing ST certificates in that name rather than under individual sub-tribes.

Sources indicate that one of the first priorities of the new government in Manipur will be to resolve the ongoing AKT controversy. The state government had also warned the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in a July 25, 2024, communication that AKT’s inclusion had allowed illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh to gain residency and Indian citizenship, while denying genuine ST communities their rights and benefits.

“The current conditions, where Kuki armed militants exercise near-government authority in extensive areas, make a free, fair, and credible census categorically impossible,” the Thadou organisations said. They accused successive administrations of ignoring warnings since the 1970s, prioritising political appeasement over tribal stability, and said the present crisis is a “direct indictment” of those policy failures.

Rafia Tasleem

Rafia Tasleem is a seasoned journalist from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, recognized for her expertise in content writing, investigative research, fact-based reporting, strategic media planning, presentation and lot more. With experience working for both national and international news organizations, she brings a deep understanding of media dynamics. Holding a Master’s in Communication and Media Studies from Aligarh Muslim University, she has been contributing to VoM News for the past two years. For inquiries, contact rafiatasleem@seashell-clam-300365.hostingersite.com.