Protesters take out night rally in Imphal, COCOMI to lock central govt offices tomorrow

Protesters took out a rally at Singjamei in Imphal West district on Monday evening as part of Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) state-wide agitation over the concealing of the state's name from a government bus.

The protesters holding bamboo torches demanded an apology from the governor over the concealing of the state's name from the government bus with journalists on board, which was heading to the Shirui Lily festival in Ukhrul district on May 20. The incident occurred in the Gwaltabi area.

They raised slogans "Manipur cannot be divided, Manipur cannot be obliterated, governor must apologise or resign."

The rally began from Kakwa and then covered for nearly 3 km till Singjamei before they were stopped by security forces and made to return.

The COCOMI announced that central offices in the state will be locked from Tuesday.

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COCOMI Convenor in-charge W Seken said, "A rally to submit memorandums to respective district deputy commissioners will be taken out on Tuesday. The governor must tender his apology or continue to face people's movement. COCOMI will also lock offices of central institutes on Tuesday."
    
Earlier in the day ahead of governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla's return to Manipur security forces prevented students and women from taking out a rally in Imphal West district over the concealing of the state's name from a government bus and fired tear gas shells to disperse them, police said.
    
The protesters assembled in Kwakeithel area on Tiddim Road and planned to march towards the Raj Bhavan, covering a distance of three km, but they were stopped from advancing from there, a senior officer said.
    
However, students and women's groups formed a human chain, covering a stretch of six kilometres from Imphal airport to Keisampat, around 200 metres away from the governor's residence, he said.
    
The demonstrators held placards with the messages - 'Manipur's identity is non-negotiable' and 'Governor must apologise to the people of Manipur' - written on them.
    
The governor arrived in Imphal this afternoon from New Delhi and took an Army helicopter to reach Kangla Fort, located around 300 metres from the Raj Bhavan, in view of the protests, another officer said.
    
"Due to the prevailing situation in the state's capital, Imphal, the governor took a chopper ride from the Imphal airport to Kangla Fort near Raj Bhavan," he said.
    
Bhalla had left Manipur on May 21 for Delhi for official purposes.
    
Protesters also attempted to burn an effigy of the governor in Kwakeithel, leading to a scuffle between agitators and security forces.
   
A large number of central forces, including Assam Rifles and Rapid Action Force personnel, were deployed along the Tiddim Road from Imphal Airport to the Raj Bhavan.
    
Security has also been beefed up at several points, including Moirangkhom in Imphal West district and Konung Mamang in Imphal East district.
    
These protests were a continuation of the state-wide agitation launched by COCOMI.
    
Meitei group COCOMI had observed a 48-hour strike across Manipur last week to protest against the concealing of the state's name from a government bus.
    
They demanded an apology from the governor and the resignation of three top officers.
    
A seven-member delegation of COCOMI, led by its convenor Khuraijam Athouba, left for Delhi on Monday to attend a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday.
    
Athouba, before he departed from Imphal, told reporters, "We had delayed pursuit of our objectives with the Centre due to Operation Sindoor. However, with the successful conclusion of the operation on the western front of the country, we are seeking the Centre's measures in dealing with narco-terrorists on the eastern front of the country..
    
"At a critical time, the Gwaltabi incident happened in which the state's historical and cultural legacy was severely hit. We will raise the issues related to the Gwaltabi incident and other agenda concerning the Manipur crisis," he added.