The Hindu Editorial Analysis : 24th January 2026

The Hindu Editorial Analysis

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Tensions escalate in Manipur following abduction and killing of a Meitei man

• A 29-year-old man was shot dead by unknown attackers in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Wednesday night, according to security officials. The entire killing was recorded on video.
• The man has been identified as Mayanglambam Rishikant Singh, a resident of Kakching district, belonging to the Meitei community.
• At the time of the incident, Singh was staying in Churachandpur to visit his wife, who belongs to the Kuki-Zo community.
• After the killing, tension spread again across Manipur. Sit-in protests were organised in several parts of the Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley.
• In Kakching district, locals blocked the Indo-Myanmar Sugnu Road and demanded justice for Singh’s family.
• Singh had been working in Nepal for the last two years. He came to Churachandpur on December 19 and stayed at his wife’s house.
• On Wednesday evening, some unidentified people came to the house and took both Singh and his wife with them.
• Later, his wife was released, while Singh was taken a short distance away and shot dead.
• According to a security official, a video released by the attackers shows Singh in great fear. He is seen kneeling, crying, and begging for his life before being killed.
• The Assam Rifles came to know about the murder through their intelligence sources, as no call was made to the police about the incident.
• At around 9.30 p.m., a video titled “No peace no popular governments” was circulated on WhatsApp from an IP address located in Guwahati, officials said.
• A joint action committee formed in the Imphal Valley demanded that the case be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which represents several organisations in the Imphal Valley, strongly condemned the killing.
• COCOMI said the incident clearly showed the failure of the Central government to control armed groups operating in Manipur.
• COCOMI convenor Y.K. Dhiren said the killing happened at a time when civil society groups and the general public were trying hard to bring back peace and normal life in the State.
• He added that it was deeply disturbing that even the presence of more than 60,000 security personnel in Manipur had failed to stop militant activities.
• Singh’s body was recovered earlier and has been sent for post-mortem examination.
• Singh’s wife told the police that four men arrived at their house in a black SUV, asking for her husband.
• She said all four men were wearing masks. Two of them stayed inside the vehicle, while the other two entered the house.
• One of the men who entered the house was carrying a weapon, an official said.
• At this stage, Singh’s wife has not been able to identify the attackers.
• She also told the police that only the village chief knew about her husband’s arrival in the area.
• Ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023, and so far more than 250 people have lost their lives.
• The State has been under President’s Rule since February 13, 2025.
• Meanwhile, the Coordination Committee, an umbrella group of six banned organisations linked mainly to Meitei sub-nationalist groups, called for an 18-hour shutdown starting from 12 noon on Sunday.
• The committee also appealed to people to boycott Republic Day celebrations.

India missing as Trump unveils Peace Board with 19 nations in attendance

• S. President Donald Trump on Thursday formally launched his proposed Board of Peace, which aims to help maintain a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
• Trump claimed that “everyone wants to be a part” of the board and said it could one day become an alternative to the United Nations, even though many close U.S. allies stayed away from the event.
• India was among the countries that did not attend the inauguration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited by Mr. Trump to join the board.
• According to people familiar with the matter, India has not yet taken a final decision on whether to accept the invitation.
• When asked about the invitation, sources said that a decision is still pending.
• Countries such as Pakistan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have accepted Mr. Trump’s invitation to join the board.
• Trump said that 59 countries have agreed to join the board, but only 19 countries, along with the United States, were present at the launch.
• The inauguration was held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
• Addressing the representatives present, whose countries ranged from Azerbaijan to Paraguay to Hungary, Trump told them, “You’re the most powerful people in the world”.
• Highlighting the international nature of the initiative, he said, “This is not the United States, this is for the world.”
• He added that if the board succeeds in Gaza, it could later be expanded to deal with other global conflicts.
• During the event, Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, announced that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will reopen in both directions next week.
• Shaath is currently overseeing the Palestinian committee that will govern Gaza under U.S. supervision.
• Despite the launch, the initiative continues to face doubt and criticism from several U.S. allies.
• Trump’s efforts to promote a future plan for war-hit Gaza have been overshadowed this week.
• This included his earlier threat to take control of Greenland, followed by a sudden withdrawal from that statement.
• The Board of Peace was initially planned as a small group of leaders to monitor the ceasefire.
• Over time, it has turned into a much larger and more ambitious project.
• Concerns about the board’s membership and authority have led several countries, including close U.S. partners, to stay away.
• Countries that have agreed to join include Argentina, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Mongolia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
• Trump has suggested that the board could take over some roles currently performed by the United Nations.
• He has even said that the board could one day make the UN unnecessary.
• However, later in Davos, he softened his tone and said, “We’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations.”
• At the same time, he criticised the UN for not doing enough to prevent conflicts worldwide.
• S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said leaders from some other countries have shown interest in joining the board.
• He added that these countries still need approval from their national parliaments before becoming official members.

Questionnaire for the First Phase of Census Notified

• The Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India (RG&CCI) on Thursday announced 33 questions that people will need to answer during the first phase of Census 2027.
• This phase will be carried out between April 1 and September 30.
• Earlier, the notification for Census 2021, issued on January 7, 2020, had listed 31 questions, but that Census was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was never conducted.
• In the new notification, the number of questions has been increased to 33.
• One major change is that the earlier single question on the type of floor, wall, and roof has now been divided into three separate questions.
• These new questions will separately ask about the main material used for the floor, wall, and roof of the Census house.
• The government has said that Census 2027 will be India’s first fully digital Census.
• It will also be the first Census to include caste counting.
• For the first time, people will also be allowed to fill in their details themselves through an online portal, which is yet to be announced.
• The second phase of Census 2027, called Population Enumeration (PE), will take place in February 2027.
• Caste-related information will be collected during this Population Enumeration phase.
• The questions for the second phase have not yet been notified.
• According to the notification issued by RG&CCI Mritunjay Kumar Narayan and published in the official Gazette, Census Officers are authorised to ask all listed questions within their assigned areas.
• These questions will be used to collect information under the houselisting and housing census schedule for Census 2027.
• The questions include the building number, whether it is a municipal, local authority, or Census number.
• The Census house number will also be recorded.
• Information will be collected on the main material used for the floor of the Census house.
• Details about the main material of the wall will be recorded.
• Information on the main material of the roof will also be collected.
• The use of the Census house will be noted.
• The condition of the Census house will be recorded.
• The household number will be asked.
• The total number of people normally living in the household will be recorded.
• The name of the head of the household will be collected.
• The gender of the head of the household will be recorded.
• It will be noted whether the head of the household belongs to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, or Other.
• The ownership status of the house will be recorded.
• The number of rooms exclusively used by the household will be noted.
• The number of married couples living in the household will be recorded.
• The main source of drinking water will be noted.
• Information on the availability of drinking water will be recorded.
• The main source of lighting used by the household will be recorded.
• Whether the household has access to a toilet will be asked.
• The type of toilet will be recorded.
• The method of wastewater disposal will be noted.
• Availability of a bathing facility will be recorded.
• Information on the availability of a kitchen and LPG or PNG connection will be collected.
• The main fuel used for cooking will be recorded.
• Ownership or access to a radio or transistor will be noted.
• Ownership or access to a television will be recorded.
• Access to the Internet will be asked.
• Ownership or access to a laptop or computer will be recorded.
• Availability of a telephone, mobile phone, or smartphone will be noted.
• Ownership or access to a bicycle, scooter, motorcycle, or moped will be recorded.
• Ownership or access to a car, jeep, or van will be noted.
• The main cereal eaten in the household will be recorded.
• A mobile number will be collected strictly for Census-related communication only.
• A preparatory exercise for the first phase was conducted between November 10 and November 30, 2025.
• This exercise was carried out in selected areas across the country.

Important Questions

1. Why did fresh tension grip Manipur following the killing of Mayanglambam Rishikant Singh in Churachandpur district?
2. What demands were raised by the joint action committee and COCOMI after the killing of the Meitei man?
3. Why was India absent from the inauguration of the Board of Peace unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump?
4. What concerns have led some U.S. allies to decline participation in the Board of Peace?
5. What key changes have been introduced in the first phase of Census 2027 compared to Census 2021?
6. Why is Census 2027 considered significant in terms of digital process and caste enumeration?

Important Vocabulary

1. Abduction – the act of taking someone away by force or deception
2. Assailants – people who attack or assault someone
3. Condemned – strongly criticised or expressed disapproval
4. Deplorable – extremely bad and deserving strong criticism
5. Inaugurated – formally started or launched
6. Ceasefire – an agreement to stop fighting temporarily
7. Scepticism – doubt about the truth or success of something
8. Overshadowed – drew attention away from something more important
9. Notified – officially announced or declared
10. Enumeration – the process of counting people or items
11. Predominant – most common or main
12. Preparatory – done in advance to get ready for something

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