Imphal: Thousands of people took to the streets of Manipur’s capital on Saturday to reaffirm their opposition to any move that could alter the territorial or administrative integrity of the state, amid continuing political and ethnic tensions.
The rally, organised by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), saw participants march nearly five kilometres from Tiddim Ground to Thau Ground, raising slogans and displaying placards asserting that Manipur must remain undivided.
Protesters demanded that internally displaced persons be resettled in their original homes and warned against any attempt to redraw the state’s administrative framework.
The mobilisation comes against the backdrop of demands by sections of the Kuki community for a separate administrative arrangement following prolonged ethnic violence in the state.
Clashes between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and hill-based Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023 have claimed at least 260 lives and displaced thousands.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February last year.
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Saturday’s rally drew participation not only from Meitei civil society groups but also from members of Muslim, Naga and non-Manipuri communities, signalling what organisers described as a broader consensus on preserving the state’s unity.
“We are here to make it clear that Manipur’s territorial and administrative integrity cannot be compromised under any circumstances,” said participant Bidyaluxmi Oinam.
Another demonstrator, Khagembam Surjit, said Manipur’s land and identity were shaped by its ancestors and should not be fragmented.
Security arrangements were stepped up across Imphal to ensure the rally passed off peacefully, officials said.
