GUWAHATI: A controversy erupted in Manipur on Tuesday after security personnel allegedly stopped a group of 20 journalists from travelling to cover the Shirui Lily Festival in the Naga-majority Ukhrul district. The media team was travelling in a government bus marked “Manipur State Transport” when they were told to hide the signage by the security forces.
The incident occurred at the Gwaltabi checkpoint in Imphal East, about 25 km from Imphal. Following the instructions, the journalists returned to Imphal instead of continuing to the festival.
The five-day festival, a state-sponsored event celebrating Manipur’s state flower, the Shirui Lily, was inaugurated on Tuesday by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla. The festival had already drawn attention after an FIR was filed against a Kuki student leader who allegedly threatened that Meiteis would not be allowed to cross buffer zones to attend the event. The route to Ukhrul passes through several Kuki villages.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), based in Imphal Valley, strongly criticised the incident. In a statement, it said the actions of the security personnel seemed like a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority and legitimacy of the Manipur government within its own territory.
“Such behaviour is not only careless but also seems to align with the intentions of illegal elements trying to destabilise the region over the past two years,” the group said.
The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union and the Editors’ Guild Manipur also condemned the incident. They submitted a letter to the governor, demanding an investigation and action against those responsible. They pointed out that the bus was arranged specifically for the media by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations.
The letter stated, “Upon reaching Gwaltabi, personnel from the 4 Mahar Regiment told the media team to hide the words ‘Manipur State Transport’ displayed on the front of the bus. This instruction caused concern and confusion among the journalists, who questioned why a state government name should be hidden within its own state.”
Though the team initially tried to comply in order to reach the venue on time, delays during negotiations with the security forces caused them to abandon the trip and return to Imphal. They later arranged alternative transport on their own.
Journalists called on the authorities to explain the reason for the unusual instruction, especially as the journey was state-sponsored.
“The Kuki community’s objection, while not acceptable, is somewhat understandable. But the central forces appearing to support such demands is unprecedented and clearly illegal,” the letter added.
In response, the journalists’ unions announced a “pen-down strike” for May 21. All journalistic work will be suspended, and the media will boycott news related to the Manipur government until further notice.