Nemcha Kipgen Elevation as Manipur Deputy CM Sparks Kuki-Zo Protests in Delhi

A Landmark Appointment in a Tense Political Moment

The appointment of Nemcha Kipgen as Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur has triggered strong protests in New Delhi , highlighting unresolved tensions within the Kuki-Zo community amid Manipur’s ongoing ethnic crisis.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party has presented the move as a step towards inclusive governance, sections of the Kuki-Zo population see it as politically premature and morally troubling, given that core demands arising from the violence remain unmet.

Historic Firsts Amid Political Fragility

At 60, Nemcha Kipgen became Manipur’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister and the first leader from the Kuki-Zo tribal community to hold the post. She took oath virtually from Manipur Bhawan , administered by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla .

Her swearing-in followed the oath of Yumnam Khemchand Singh as Chief Minister at Lok Bhavan in Imphal. The new Council of Ministers includes three Deputy Chief Ministers , representing the Meitei, Naga, and Kuki-Zo communities , a composition the BJP has described as a “popular government”.

Why Sections of the Kuki-Zo Community Are Protesting

Soon after the announcement, Kuki-Zo students and civil society members staged protests outside Manipur Bhawan, raising slogans such as “Nemcha In, Justice Out.”

Protesters argue that Kipgen’s decision to join the government undermines the collective demand for a separate administration with legislature , raised by Kuki-Zo representatives after ethnic violence erupted on May 3, 2023 . That violence has so far killed over 260 people , displaced more than 60,000 , and fractured trust in state institutions.

Political Contradictions and Erosion of Trust

Nemcha Kipgen was among the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs who had earlier endorsed the demand for separate administration. Her official residence in Imphal West was burnt in June 2023 , symbolising the intensity of the conflict.

However, her participation in a BJP legislature party meeting in Delhi—ending months of Kuki-Zo boycott of Assembly proceedings—has been interpreted by protesters as a departure from a unified political stand . The apex tribal body Kuki Inpi Manipur has formally opposed any Kuki-Zo MLA joining the new government.

A Community Divided by Representation and Reality

Students and survivors of the violence, many of whom continue to live in relief camps, argue that justice cannot be achieved through the same political framework they believe failed to prevent or address the crisis. Kipgen’s perceived silence on key incidents, combined with her acceptance of executive office, has deepened feelings of alienation among sections of her community.

Her appointment thus stands as both a symbolic milestone and a sharp political fault line , reflecting the broader challenges of reconciliation, representation, and trust in Manipur’s fragile post-violence landscape.

Exam-Focused Key Points

• Manipur violence began on May 3, 2023 , involving Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups

• Nemcha Kipgen is Manipur’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister