Manipur MLA Warns of Rising Infiltration Threatening Zeliangrong Ancestral Lands

Imphal: Manipur BJP MLA and retired IAS officer Dinganglung Gangmei has issued a stern warning over what he described as growing infiltration and land encroachment in areas inhabited by the Zeliangrong community. Expressing alarm over the establishment of new villages along major highways, he said such developments threaten to displace locals from their ancestral territories.

Addressing community members, Gangmei highlighted that outsiders were increasingly claiming ownership of traditional Zeliangrong land. He called on the youth and present generation to remain vigilant and safeguard the community’s rights, culture, and heritage against encroachment. “If we fail to protect our land today, we may lose more than territory — we may lose our identity,” he reportedly said.

His remarks came days after the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) carried out an operation in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district targeting poppy cultivation. According to reports, several cultivators detained during the operation were unable to speak Manipuri, leading the group to identify them as suspected foreign infiltrators engaged in illicit farming activities.

The ZUF claimed the action was aimed at protecting indigenous land and curbing illegal agricultural practices that degrade forest areas. The incident has intensified public discourse around land ownership and demographic pressure in the hill districts.

Local leaders have since echoed the MLA’s warning, urging authorities to investigate illegal settlements and strengthen border vigilance. Gangmei’s statement adds to mounting concerns across Manipur’s hill communities over the preservation of land rights amid allegations of unchecked migration and unauthorised land use.

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