GUWAHATI: The ongoing protests in Manipur’s Imphal Valley intensified on Tuesday, with the agitators locking central government offices.
A viral social media video showed protestors locking the office of the state’s Chief Electoral Officer after overcoming resistance from security personnel.
They also locked the office of the Geological Survey of India and put up banners saying, “President’s rule must stop insulting Manipur’s identity”.
The Meitei organisation, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), is spearheading the protests. On Sunday, it announced mass protests, rallies, torch processions, and sit-ins against the recent alleged instruction by security personnel to conceal the words “Manipur State Transport” displayed on a state-run bus in which a media team was travelling to Ukhrul to cover the Shirui Lily festival.
The state government has already ordered an investigation into the incident, but COCOMI has stood by its position. It demanded an apology from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the resignations of Chief Secretary PK Singh, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh and DGP Rajiv Singh, holding them responsible for the incident, which “undermined Manipur’s identity, name, pride and respect”.
Opposition Congress slammed the government over the incident. “If we cannot use the word ‘Manipur’ within Manipur, where is our integrity? Who issued orders for the concealment of the signage? They should come out and apologise to the people of Manipur,” demanded former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
He said it was a shame that the governor, who is the head of the state, could not travel a distance of barely 7 km by road from Imphal airport to Raj Bhavan on Monday and had to be airlifted. Protesters formed a human chain on the airport road on Monday, forcing him to take the aerial route.
Civil society groups meet with MHA brass
Two separate civil society groups from Manipur on Tuesday met senior officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and conveyed to the Centre their strong sentiments over the approach with which the violent incidents are viewed and a recent incident where the state’s name written on the windshield of a bus was covered with a white paper.
