Well, a country lives in people's hearts and also a bit in hand-holding and this is what is happening these days in India's northeast.
Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh expressed happiness that the National Integration Tour (NIT) participants are representing an integrated Manipur as the participants belong to various communities inhabited in the State including -- Meitei, Kuki, Naga, and Meitei Pangal (Muslim).
The above sentiment was shared by the Chief Minister during the flagging off of “National Integration Tour 2025-26” at the Assam Rifles, Keithelmanbi, organised by 33 Assam Rifles, in Imphal on Tuesday.
The tour is expected to cover Imphal, Thiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari, Mumbai, Kolkata starting from 3rd March to 13th March 2026.
Altogether twenty-four youths, six each from the four communities, i.e Meitei, Kuki, Naga, and Meitei Pangal (Muslim), are part of the tour.
Chief Minister also maintained that more than 47,000 people belonging to both the Meitei and Kuki communities were relocated to safer zones by the Assam Rifles to ensure their security and well-being.
The Chief Minister also commended the prompt and dedicated actions of the Assam Rifles in carrying out the relocation process during the crisis.
"We should forgive and forget the past and jointly head towards bringing peace and development in the State," the chief minister said in reference to the ethnic clashes of 2023.
Interacting with the youths of four communities, the Chief Minister turned to Kuki youths and asked in Kuki dialect, “Bu na neh tah am” (Have you eaten food).
Came the reply from the six Kuki youths, “Ka Ne Tai” (We have eaten food).
During the interaction, he encouraged them to make the most of the opportunity and gain meaningful experiences. He further assured the participants that the government would extend its unwavering support and assistance.
In a symbolic gesture of unity and inclusiveness, a group was formed comprising one member from each community, and a flag was handed over to them to represent collective harmony and shared identity. Kits were also distributed to the participants of the tour.
"The National Integration Tour is a significant initiative aimed at fostering unity through exposure, understanding, and shared experiences.
By visiting Kerala and Tamil Nadu, our youth will have the opportunity to witness the diverse cultural landscapes, developmental strides, and rich traditions that define the spirit of India," the chief minister tweeted.
During the programme, the officials of the Assam Rifles also introduced the Chief Minister to a group of National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets drawn from various communities in the state.
The event was attended by former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Tarun Vijay, Brig. Pratyush Kumar, and students among others.
Known as the 'friends of the hill people'; the paramilitary force Assam Rifles in northeast has for sometime now undertaken a unique 'national integration initiative' involving local tribals in most NE states including Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
The enthusiastic participants hope their experiences will be an "eye opener" as a few of them would be venturing out of the northeast for the first time.
"I have heard where there's a will there's a way; but in this case Assam Rifles had the will," remarks a source.
ends
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