Meitei pilgrimage to Thangjing is a constitutional right: Titular King of Manipur
Rajya Sabha MP and titular King Leisemba Sanajaoba pledged to press the Centre for safe access amid ethnic tensions & restricted movement.;
Rajya Sabha MP Leisemba Sanajaoba with Meitei people
Imphal, April 16: Amid escalating tensions and restricted access to Thangjing hill, Rajya Sabha MP and titular king of Manipur, Leisemba Sanajaoba, reaffirmed the Meitei community’s constitutional right to religious pilgrimage.
Speaking on the sidelines of a MEELAL team’s flag-off to Tripura, Sanajaoba said that Meiteis have historically performed pilgrimages to Koubru and Thangjing hills, both considered sacred as places of origin for the community.
“Our Meitei people, we have originated from the hills. That is our place of origin, and in due course of time we began to settle in the valley. And we often climb the hills and visit our place of origin to remember its history. Restricting us to visit the hills is against the Constitution of India,” Sanajaoba said.
He further emphasised that he would urge the Centre to ensure the safe return of Meitei pilgrims to Thangjing in the future. “As the customary head of the state, I will apply pressure on the Centre to safeguard this right," he said.
The MP's comments come in the backdrop of a disrupted annual pilgrimage to Thangjing hill, a site revered by the Meiteis, located in Manipur’s Churachandpur district.
Hundreds of pilgrims from Imphal Valley had to abandon their journey due to mounting ethnic tensions, the presence of a buffer zone, and resistance from Kuki-Zo groups. The buffer zone, monitored by security forces, currently separates Meitei and Kuki-Zo territories amid ongoing unrest since May 2023.
“The situation near the buffer zone is not safe. Even with security escort, the threat of conflict remains. It is wise to wait,” said a Meitei elder from Moirang.
Meanwhile, six Kuki civil society groups have warned that any attempt to scale Thangjing would be “opposed tooth and nail". Despite the standoff, many pilgrims remain resolute in their faith.
“We are ready to climb Thangjing anytime when the situation improves. This tradition cannot be stopped by force,” said Naoba, a pilgrim.
With President’s Rule imposed in Manipur since February 13 and no sign of reconciliation yet, the right to pilgrimage has become emblematic of the deeper struggle over identity, faith, and constitutional rights in a state torn by ethnic strife.