Valley unrest casts shadow over Sangai Festival inauguration

As the clock ticks toward the 4:30 pm inauguration of Sangai Festival 2025, to be graced by the Governor of Manipur at Hapta Kangjeibung and BOAT, uncertainty looms large across the valley region. 

While preparations for the state’s premier tourism event gather pace, several localities remain tense amid protests by civil society organisations and internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are opposing the festival.

The fate of the festival hangs in the balance as sit-in protests have intensified across multiple areas of the valley. Tension escalated in Khurai Lamlong in Imphal on Thursday when a group of IDPs attempted to march toward the festival venue at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal East. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) had earlier called for a cease-work strike and sit-in demonstrations on November 21, the day of the festival’s inauguration. The appeal received widespread response, with most shops and business establishments shutting down and students staying away from schools.

At a sit-in demonstration in Uripok, protesters expressed anger over the government’s decision to host the festival while thousands of displaced families continue to struggle for basic necessities. One protester said the government, currently under President’s Rule, was “ignoring the sentiments and grievances of internally displaced people” by prioritising a tourism event over humanitarian concerns.

She added that since the onset of the crisis, the future of the Meitei community—indigenous to the state—has remained uncertain, with people unable to move freely even within their own homeland. She urged the government to shift its focus toward restoring peace and resolving the conflict rather than celebrating festivals.

Protesters reiterated that “Fundamental Rights Before Festivals and Tourism” should be the guiding principle in the current situation. They demanded that the government ensure free movement and the right to life before organising large-scale events, stating that “the Sangai Festival cannot replace the fundamental rights and safety of the people.”