Amid firestorm over covering ‘Manipur’ on bus, Governor airlifted to Raj Bhavan

The umbrella body of the Meitei groups, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), announced the launch of a statewide mass agitation starting May 25 to demand the Governor’s apology besides the removal of the Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Director General of Police Rajiv Singh and Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh in connection with the Gwaltabi incident.

On May 20, security forces stopped a state-run bus carrying journalists – who were en route to attend the Shirui Lily festival – near the Gwaltabi checkpost in Ukhrul district and forced the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staffers to cover the state’s name written on the windshield with a white paper.

The COCOMI has condemned this incident, calling it an “insult to Manipur’s identity”.

There was chaos in Imphal Sunday as protesters clashed with security personnel when they allegedly tried to storm the Raj Bhavan.

On Monday, in view of the Governor’s arrival from New Delhi, students and women protesters formed the human chains along the Tiddim Road in Imphal West district. The protesters were holding placards and banners that read, “Governor must apologise,” “Must stop insulting Manipur,” “Chief Secretary, DGP, Security Advisor must resign”, among other things.

To prevent any untoward incident, a large number of central forces and state police were deployed along the stretch from the Imphal airport to Raj Bhawan on Tiddim Road.

In the Kwakeithel area, security forces fired tear gas to disperse a group of protesters after a scuffle with them.

A similar protest was also organised in different parts of Bishnupur district under the aegis of the All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO), Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba Manipur (PLMPAM), All Manipur Women Voluntary Association (AMAWOVA), Committee on Human Rights (COHR), and Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF). The protesters there displayed placards that read “Self-determination is our birthright” and “Manipur’s identity is non-negotiable”.

Significantly, a seven-member team of the COCOMI is currently camping in New Delhi for a meeting with the officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday to discuss the current situation in Manipur, especially the row over the Gwaltabi incident.