Delhi-based Meitei bodies: 'Manipur' signage removal assault on state’s identity

Delhi-based Meitei organisations, including the Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC), MSAD, MAIYON, and UNIKAS, on May 21 jointly held a press conference at the Press Club of India, strongly condemning the removal of the word "Manipur" from a Manipur State Transport (MST) bus by security personnel at the Gwaltabi checkpoint, 25 km from Imphal.

The incident, which took place on May 20, involved a group of journalists travelling to Ukhrul district to cover the Shirui Lily Festival. 

According to the groups, security personnel from the Maha Regiment and BSF allegedly forced the journalists to conceal the word “Manipur” on the state-run vehicle, despite the journey being officially sponsored by the Manipur government. The media team was reportedly compelled to turn back, abandoning their assignment.

Terming the act as “shameful” and “provocative,” the organisations accused the central forces of launching an institutional attack on Manipur’s cultural and political identity. 

DMCC Convenor Dr. Seram Rojesh called the act a “deliberate humiliation,” adding that the Indian forces, instead of safeguarding citizens, were acting to appease Kuki militants and dismantle Manipur’s integrity.

The groups also alleged that the order to erase the signage was not a local or isolated decision, but stemmed from a meeting reportedly chaired by the Governor of Manipur, as per a statement from Security Advisor Kuldeep. They said this proved the action was a “premeditated insult” with sanction from the highest levels of government.

DMCC Advisor Hijam Rajen questioned whether Manipur’s contributions to the Indian nation—such as the sacrifices of soldiers and athletes—were being disregarded. “Is India ruled by democratic principles or the will of the armed forces?” he asked. He called the incident an insult not only to Manipur but also to democracy and the sacrifices of its people.

Sangeeta Keisham, Spokesperson of the DMCC’s Women’s Wing, labelled the move an attack on press freedom. “Journalists are unsafe in their own land. Attending a peace festival while being forced to hide their identity is unacceptable,” she said.

Neilchandra, another DMCC member, said the action sent a symbolic message that Manipur was being erased from India’s map. “This is religious and ethnic partiality, and it undermines the unity the Shirui Lily Festival seeks to promote.”

Dr. Bobo, spokesperson of the DMCC, warned that the move set a dangerous precedent. “This isn’t just about journalists. It’s an assault on the fourth pillar of democracy. Appeasing Kuki militants at the cost of humiliating the Meitei people cannot be allowed,” he said. He also recalled the historic hoisting of the Indian flag in Moirang by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, questioning why travel within Manipur now required concealing the state's name.

The organisations demanded immediate action against those responsible and called on the government to stop what they described as a state-sponsored proxy war and military overreach in Manipur.

The following demands were raised:

1. The prime minister, home minister, and defence minister must explain why efforts are being made to erase Manipur’s identity and issue a public apology for these actions.
    
2. Since Manipur was taken over by India in 1949 and hence integrated into the Union, the Government of India has a moral, legal, and obligation to protect the integrity of Manipur and the rights of its people.
    
3. Any attempt to balkanize Manipur or forcibly remove its name and identity from its own land constitutes an act of aggression and a provocation that threatens peace and incites violence against the people of Manipur.
    
4. Withdrawal of security forces if they cannot protect Manipur’s identity.
    
5. Cessation of Indian state-sponsored violence via Kuki militants.
    
6. Assurance of free movement for media & citizens in Manipur.
    
7. Stop supporting and protecting Kuki militants/terrorist organisation under the name of Suspension of Operation.