Manipur police have registered a case against Congress leader Lamtinthang Haokip after he issued a statement alleging that Kut, the harvest festival of the Kuki tribe, has been removed from the list of festivals announced in the state in 2025.
The complaint against Haokip and another complaint against user X named Hennary L were lodged at the Imphal police station by K Saratkumar Singh, general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Singh accused Haokip and X users of trying to incite hatred and animosity between the Meitei and Kuki communities, saying their comments could further escalate tensions in the violence-hit state.
The controversy arises over the classification of Kut festival in the list of Manipur festivals. Although the holiday was listed as a public holiday in the 2024 Gazette, in 2025 it appeared in the public holidays section.
In Manipur classification, public holidays are observed only in government offices while public holidays extend to all institutions including schools and banks.
Haokip dismissed the allegations in its response to the complaint. In a statement from
He further challenged the BJP and added, “If you have the guts, get your house (BJP ministers and MLAs) in order before blaming others.”