Imphal; A significant rift has emerged within Manipur’s tribal representation following a recent gathering in New Delhi. The Thadou Inpi General Headquarters (TI-GHQ), the recognized apex body of the Thadou tribe, has vehemently condemned a meeting held on March 7th titled “Meeting on Community Understanding for Peaceful and Harmonious Co-existence in Manipur.”
The core of the dispute lies in the TI-GHQ’s assertion that the meeting, attended by a group identifying themselves as Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM) and the Meitei Alliance, was a deceptive attempt to undermine the genuine interests of the Thadou community. Thangminlen Kipgen, General Secretary of TI-GHQ, issued a statement branding the joint press release resulting from the meeting as misleading.
The TI-GHQ’s position is rooted in established resolutions from the Thadou Conclave 2015 held in Delhi and the General Assembly 2021 convened in Haipi, Kangpokpi District. These resolutions firmly establish that only the TI-GHQ holds legitimate authority to represent the Thadou people. The newly formed Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), according to the TI-GHQ, lacks any such legitimacy.
Moreover, the TI-GHQ has explicitly stated that the delegation led by M. James Thadou, which participated in the Delhi meeting, has no recognition or authorization from the TI-GHQ or the wider Thadou community. This declaration effectively disavows any claims made by this group to represent the Thadou perspective.
The TI-GHQ’s strong stance serves as a direct warning against any attempts to misrepresent or diminish the voice of the Thadou people. The organization is now urging the public to completely disregard any actions or statements made by these unauthorized entities who are falsely claiming to speak on behalf of the Thadou community.