Students from TG Women’s College, GP Women’s College, and Manipur College in Imphal staged a dramatic protest in front of their respective college gates on Monday, setting fire to copies of the PUCL (People’s Union for Civil Liberties) report on the recent Manipur violence, published last week.
The students accused the report of being “completely fabricated” and “heavily biased,” alleging it misrepresented facts on the ground. During the protest, they shouted slogans such as “PUCL report is fake,” “This could not be a true report,” and “Biased and funded,” while holding placards condemning the publication.
Speaking during the protest, the students said that the act of burning the report symbolised the rejection of misinformation and false narratives being circulated in the name of human rights. They asserted that international and national organisations must present impartial accounts instead of shielding groups responsible for violence and displacement.
“This could even be funded by certain groups to push a one-sided narrative. We are rejecting this publication outright—it’s fake news,” said one of the protesting students.
The demonstration drew large crowds, with students demanding fair and balanced reporting. Police personnel were deployed at the college gates as a precautionary measure to prevent any escalation, and no untoward incidents were reported.
The protest highlights growing frustration among students who feel that certain reports on the Manipur violence fail to present an accurate perspective, prompting public demonstrations across several educational institutions in Imphal.
