Manipur: COCOMI-led agitation enters second day as protesters wait for Governor

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) statewide agitation entered its second day on Monday as hundreds of demonstrators stood along Tiddim Road to confront the governor upon his return from Delhi.

 

Students and activists positioned themselves along the airport route, demanding an apology over allegations that threaten the state's territorial identity.

 

Protesters gathered near Kwakeithel from 11:30 am, displaying placards reading "Governor should apologise" and "Don't disintegrate the territorial integrity of Manipur." The demonstration targeted the governor's expected 1:30 PM arrival at Imphal International Airport, though his presence remained unconfirmed as crowds maintained their roadside vigil.

The ongoing protest was sparked after central forces from the Mahar Regiment directed the removal of the words “Manipur State” from a transport bus carrying journalists. The bus was en route to Ukhrul to cover the Shirui Lily Festival 2025 when central security forces asked for the state’s name to be concealed on May 20, 2024.

 

Students from multiple schools and colleges formed human chains condemning the incident, while security forces from state and central agencies deployed heavily along the route connecting the airport to Raj Bhawan. The protest represents escalating tensions between civil society groups and state authorities over perceived threats to Manipur's constitutional status.

 

COCOMI's statewide campaign has mobilised educational institutions and activist groups around concerns that extend beyond the festival transport directive to broader questions of state autonomy and territorial recognition. The organisation has framed the governor's alleged actions as part of a pattern undermining Manipur's distinct political and cultural identity.

 

Local authorities maintained crowd control measures throughout the demonstration, with protesters vowing to continue their agitation until receiving the demanded apology from the governor's office.