Manipur Congress files RTI on Gwaltabi incident, seeks accountability for identity row

In a move to pursue legal recourse over the controversial Gwaltabi incident, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has filed a Right to Information (RTI) application demanding clarity and accountability from the state administration.

Speaking at a press conference held at Congress Bhavan on Tuesday, Rabi Khan, spokesperson of the MPCC Legal Department, said that the party is seeking answers on the May 20 incident in Gwaltabi, where personnel from the 4th Battalion of the Mahar Regiment allegedly ordered the removal of the word “Manipur” from a government-run Manipur State Transport (MST) bus carrying journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul.

“The incident is deeply condemnable and a direct assault on the identity of Manipur,” said Khan. “It has wounded the sentiments of the people and represents a dangerous precedent.”

Khan stated that despite growing public outrage and intensifying protests across the state—including demands for an apology from the Governor and the resignation of key officials such as Chief Secretary P.K. Singh, Security Adviser Kuldiep Singh, and DGP Rajiv Singh—the authorities remain unresponsive.

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“The silence of the government is both unfortunate and unacceptable,” he said, questioning whether such an order to remove state identity markers could have been issued without directives from higher authorities.

To uncover the truth, the Congress party submitted an RTI application addressed to the Commissioner of the Home Department, Government of Manipur. The RTI specifically requests:

The name and designation of the individual who ordered the stoppage of the MST bus at Gwaltabi and directed the removal of “Manipur” from its signage.

The name and designation of the Commandant of the 4th Bn. Mahar Regiment posted at Gwaltabi on the day of the incident.

The name and designation of the State and Central Public Information Officers (SPIO/CPIO) relevant to the 4th Bn. Mahar Regiment.

Khan emphasized that if the requested information is not held by the Home Department, it must be transferred to the appropriate authority as per Section 6(3) of the RTI Act, 2005.

“The people of Manipur deserve the truth,” he said. “The Congress party hopes that the information will be furnished in the larger interest of the state and its identity.”

The Gwaltabi incident has sparked widespread condemnation and is being seen as a flashpoint in ongoing debates around Manipur’s identity and the role of central forces in the state.