Protest rally in Imphal: Manipur Guv takes chopper ride from airport to Raj Bhavan

Imphal, May 27 Amid the ongoing agitation by a Meitei apex body, tension flaring up in Imphal while Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Monday had to take a helicopter ride from the airport to Kangla Fort adjacent to Raj Bhavan.

An official said that the Governor arrived in Imphal on Monday afternoon from Delhi and in view of the protests, he flew in an Army helicopter to reach Kangla Fort, located around 300 metres from the Raj Bhavan.

After a 48-hour shutdown in six Imphal valley region on May 21-23, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the Meitei community apex body, has started their second phase of agitation from Sunday in protest against the removal of the state’s name from a government bus on May 20.

The COCOMI on May 24 (Saturday) announced a series of intensified agitations, including a daily gherao at the main gate of the Governor’s bungalow starting on Sunday.

The official said that as part of the agitation, the protesters on Monday assembled in the Kwakeithel area on Tiddim Road and planned to march towards the Raj Bhavan, covering a distance of three km, but they were stopped by the huge contingent of security forces from advancing towards Raj Bhavan.

However, the agitators including women and students formed a human chain, covering a stretch of six km from Imphal international airport to Keisampat, around 200 metres away from the Raj Bhavan. Carrying banners and placards with the messages - 'Manipur's identity is non-negotiable' and 'Governor must apologise to the people of Manipur' – the protestors gave slogan against the security forces who are involved in removing signage bearing 'Manipur' word from a government-run bus on May 20.

The Governor went to the national capital to attend several official functions including NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and two-day Rising Northeast Investors Summit-2025, inaugurated by the Prime Minister.

Protesters also attempted to burn an effigy of the Governor leading to a scuffle between agitators and security forces.

A huge contingent of central forces, including Assam Rifles, Rapid Action Force personnel and Manipur police, were deployed along the Tiddim Road from Imphal airport to the Raj Bhavan.

The Meitei body also demanded the resignation of Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Security Advisor to the government Kuldiep Singh and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, holding them responsible for failing to protect the dignity and integrity of the state of Manipur.

The Manipur government had constituted a two-member committee to probe the May 20 incident.

The issue arose after a media team, en route to cover the opening ceremony of the five-day-long Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district on May 20, was forced to return to Imphal, allegedly after some security personnel blocked their bus at Gwaltabi in Imphal East district.

The media organisations in a joint letter to Governor Bhalla had said that the security personnel instructed the media team to hide the "Manipur State Transport Corporation" signage in front of the bus carrying 20 journalists and some Information Department officials.

Various political parties, leaders and organisations protested the incident. In view of the five-day-long (May 20 to 24) Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district, the Manipur government has taken huge security measures after reported threats by some individuals and organisations to the Meitei community against entering Kuki tribal-dominated areas during the festival.

Shirui Lily Festival, mostly organised by the Meitei community, is celebrated in honour of the state flower, the Shirui Lily.

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