Imphal: Protesters took out rallies in Manipur’s Imphal West and Imphal East districts on Friday evening over the alleged removal of the state’s name from a government-run bus earlier in the week.
At Chingmeirong in Imphal West, the protesters raised slogans and attempted to march towards the Raj Bhavan, but were stopped by security forces, officials said.
Residents of the capital city also took to the streets in large numbers, expressing their anger and frustration over what they view as a blatant disregard for the state’s identity and pride.
Similar protest marches, including the formation of human chains, were organised at Kongba, Lamlong in Imphal East.
Security forces had allegedly stopped a state-run bus carrying journalists to cover the ‘Shirui Lily’ festival in Ukhrul district on Tuesday, and forced the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staffers to conceal the state’s name written on the windshield with a white paper.
The protests ignited after images of a government bus, previously emblazoned with “Manipur,” circulated online, showing the state’s name removed. This act quickly drew condemnation from various civil society groups, student unions, and political organizations.
In protest against the incident, the Meitei organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) also called for a 48-hour state-wide bandh.
The state government has ordered a probe into the allegations against the security personnel.
It has also formed a two-member inquiry committee, which will “examine facts and circumstances involving security personnel and Manipur State Road Transport Bus carrying media persons to cover the Manipur Shirui festival on May 20 near Gwaltabi checkpost”, according to an order issued by the Home Department.
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According to the protestors, removing the state’s name isn’t merely an administrative choice, but a direct insult to Manipur’s cultural and political identity.
