A group of women folks thronged the residence of National People’s Party (NPP) State President Yumnam Joykumar at Uripok in Imphal West on Friday, expressing anger and disappointment over a controversial remark he made on X (formerly Twitter) related to the May 3, 2023 crisis.
In his post, Joykumar wrote: “Biren Ji misjudged the Kuki-Meitei conflict’s roots. The Tribal Students’ rally against the High Court’s ST status order for Meiteis was a law-and-order issue he let spiral into communal strife. Why did his govt allow massive rallies, withdraw commandos from Churachandpur, and let groups like Arambai Tengol attack Kukis?”
The statement sparked outrage among locals, particularly women, who accused Joykumar of making divisive and misleading remarks. Many gathered outside his residence demanding an immediate explanation and retraction.
Security forces were deployed and stood guard outside the residence as the crowd continued to swell throughout the day.
Later, Joykumar issued a clarification, stating that his words were misconstrued and the controversy was a result of “misunderstanding.” He emphasized that he had no intent to accuse or target any group or community.
The protest eventually dispersed peacefully under the watch of security personnel.
