Manipur Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh on Thursday, 24 July alleged that the 'Save Manipur' protest held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi was designed to provoke the state's youth, and claimed that 'foreign hands' were financing the agitation. Singh made the allegations at a press conference held at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state headquarters in Imphal.

What Singh Alleged

The Home Minister, who is also a senior BJP leader, charged that those chanting the 'Save Manipur' slogan were attempting to mislead Manipuri youth rather than genuinely advocate for the state. 'Manipur will be saved by the people of Manipur, not by those raising slogans at Jantar Mantar. Yeh sab dikhawa hai (this is all for show),' he said.

Singh further alleged that the Jantar Mantar demonstration and a separate protest led by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi outside the Prime Minister's residence were coordinated to disrupt the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Opposition Parties in the Crosshairs

Singh claimed that while students appeared to be at the forefront of the protest, political workers from the Indian National Congress (Congress), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Samajwadi Party (SP), and Left parties were actively involved behind the scenes. 'There were hardly any supporters of the organisers at the protest venue. I mostly saw workers of opposition parties who were inciting people and trying to provoke violence,' he said.

The Foreign Funding Claim

Singh alleged that certain groups, reportedly unhappy with recent amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) rules, were channelling funds from outside the country to sustain the protest. He claimed these forces 'do not want India's rise.' Questioning the logistics of the demonstration, he asked, 'One has to ask where the food packets, water bottles and other logistical support at the protest venue are coming from.' He did not provide documentary evidence for these claims.

Singh Invokes PM Modi's Remarks

Referring to remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier on the same day, Singh said the Prime Minister had reiterated that the welfare and future of the country's youth was paramount, and had announced the constitution of Fast Track Courts to ensure speedy punishment in paper leak cases. Singh urged Manipuri youth to place their faith in PM Modi and the Central Government's commitment to protecting their interests.

Broader Context

The allegations come amid sustained political tensions over the situation in Manipur, which has seen ethnic conflict and intermittent unrest. Opposition parties have repeatedly used parliamentary sessions and public demonstrations to press the Centre on the state's condition. Singh accused opposition parties of damaging the country's image and insisted that matters relating to Manipur should be debated and resolved through Parliament. The foreign-funding allegation, if substantiated, would represent a significant escalation in the political narrative around the protests — but as of now, it rests solely on the Home Minister's assertion.