An unscheduled visit by MLA Y. Khemchand to the Litan Sareikhong Relief Camp in Ukhrul on December 8 has triggered objections from camp authorities and local organisations, who said the stopover was neither coordinated nor communicated in advance.
Khemchand arrived at about 9.30 a.m. with a group of BJP workers, at a time when a large number of internally displaced persons were away for daily work, leaving mostly women, children and elderly residents on site. According to camp in-charge Lunkhojang Baite, the visit was brief and limited to taking photographs, with no prior intimation provided to those managing the camp.
Representatives later voiced concern over some media reports, noting that coverage of an unrelated interview conducted by a journalist at the camp appeared to have been linked to the MLA’s presence. They said such reporting created a misleading impression that the legislator held wider interactions with displaced families, and urged media outlets to exercise greater care and accuracy.
The Kuki Inpi Ukhrul District also expressed its reservations, describing the visit as a breach of protocol. The organisation said the arrival of a security detail caused unease among displaced residents who remain in a vulnerable state. It added that no district-level Kuki bodies or local youth organisations had been informed beforehand.
The KIU clarified that while Meitei movement through the district has been permitted in the interest of peaceful coexistence, political visits require prior consultation to avoid tension and misunderstandings. Both the KIU and camp authorities appealed to political leaders and journalists to act with sensitivity and transparency when engaging with displaced communities.
