Arambai Tenggol has urged the Centre to honour the Governor’s arms-surrender assurance and called for NRC implementation, border fencing and peace in Manipur.
Imphal, Sept 5: Arambai Tenggol has submitted a memorandum to Union ministers and BJP president Nitin Nabin seeking an “amicable solution” to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur, while urging the Centre to honour the assurance given during the voluntary surrender of illegally held weapons.
The memorandum, addressed to Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Secretary to the Union Home Minister, Minister of State Ramdas Athawale and BJP national president Nitin Nabin, also called for steps including an NRC exercise, fencing of the India-Myanmar border and stronger regulation of cross-border movement.
The organisation stated that the prolonged crisis since May 2023 had caused extensive loss of life and displacement and argued that restoring peace required addressing what it described as security and demographic concerns in the state.
A central issue raised in the memorandum is the Governor’s February 2025 appeal for the voluntary surrender of looted and illegally held weapons.
On February 20, 2025, then Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla appealed to people in both the hills and valley to surrender illegally held arms and ammunition within seven days. He assured that no punitive action would be initiated against those who surrendered weapons within the stipulated period, while warning that strict action would follow thereafter.
The deadline was subsequently extended to March 6, 2025. During the surrender process, Arambai Tenggol handed over 246 weapons and ammunition at the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles in Imphal, according to reports.
In its latest memorandum, Arambai Tenggol claimed that it had complied with the government’s appeal and surrendered its weapons but that some of its members were subsequently arrested.
The organisation urged the Centre to ensure that the Governor’s assurance is implemented “in both letter and spirit”. It argued that doing so would strengthen public confidence in government institutions and encourage cooperation in the peace process.
Arambai Tenggol had earlier met Governor Bhalla in February 2025 and submitted a memorandum containing demands linked to the surrender of weapons, NRC implementation and border security. Contemporary reports noted that the group had sought conditions concerning legal action against village volunteers.
The latest memorandum also called for implementation of the National Register of Citizens in Manipur, arguing that an NRC could help determine the citizenship status of people in the state and address concerns over illegal immigration.
The organisation specifically referred to 1951 as the base year for the NRC. Similar demands had also featured in its February 2025 memorandum to the Governor.
The group further urged the Centre to accelerate fencing along the India-Myanmar border and increase the number of designated border gates. It proposed that movement through such gates should be permitted legally and under strict monitoring.
The memorandum also called for action against what it described as illegal immigration from Myanmar and Bangladesh, and alleged that illegal settlements, poppy cultivation and armed networks had contributed to instability in Manipur.
These allegations are presented in the memorandum as the organisation’s claims and were not independently established in the document.
Arambai Tenggol portrayed itself in the memorandum as a group that emerged during the conflict to protect the indigenous population and maintain the territorial integrity of Manipur.
It claimed that its members had suffered deaths and injuries while performing what it described as village protection duties. The organisation also referred to statements it attributed to former Chief Minister N Biren Singh concerning village guarding volunteers.
The group further stated that it had helped bring young people into the mainstream during the conflict and described itself as committed to the Constitution and laws of India.
Arambai Tenggol has, however, been described by several reports as an armed Meitei group, and its members have faced investigation in cases concerning the looting of weapons and other incidents. The organisation's claims about its role and conduct should therefore be distinguished from independently established findings.
Beyond the NRC and border fencing, the memorandum called for stronger measures to address armed groups and what it described as threats arising from illegal immigration and cross-border movement.
It also alleged that poppy cultivation and the drug trade had contributed to the conflict and called for stronger action against such activities.
The organisation said it supported the Central government’s efforts to restore stability and expressed confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for national development and security.
It urged the Centre to pursue measures that would enable the different communities of Manipur to return to peaceful coexistence.
The memorandum concluded by reiterating Arambai Tenggol’s willingness to cooperate with the government in efforts to end the conflict and restore normalcy in the state.
