"Do not disintegrate Manipur": Thousands including IDPs join rally demanding peace and stability

Thousands of people, including internally displaced persons and residents from multiple communities, took to the streets of Manipur on Saturday, January 31, raising demands to protect the state’s territorial integrity and calling for an end to what they described as a “proxy war” in the region.

The mass public rally, titled “Manipur Kanba Khongchat” (Save Manipur), began at Tiddim Ground and was scheduled to culminate at Thau Ground, drawing participants from across the Imphal Valley and surrounding areas.

The protest was organised under the aegis of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which has been spearheading several movements amid the prolonged unrest in the state.

Protesters carried placards and raised slogans demanding the resettlement of internally displaced persons, protection of Manipur’s territorial integrity, and an immediate halt to what they alleged was external interference fuelling the conflict. Chants such as “Stop proxy war,” “Do not disintegrate Manipur,” and “Long live Manipur” echoed through the rally.

Participants also urged the Government of India to take decisive steps to address security concerns and restore normalcy, while reiterating calls for safeguarding the state’s unity and sovereignty.