No order to cover ‘Manipur' on bus, Chief Secretary says panel will inquire
In an attempt to put the row over covering of the word 'Manipur' on a state transport bus to rest, state Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh Thursday expressed regret over the incident and announced an inquiry into it.
Making it clear that there was 'no instructions' to cover the word 'Manipur', Singh, who was addressing mediapersons in Imphal along with Kuldeip Singh, Security Adviser to Manipur government, said, 'The state administration has taken the reported untoward incident with utmost seriousness and the incident is deeply regretted… The state will also ensure that such an incident does not occur in future.'
Chief Secretary Singh said that Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has constituted an inquiry committee comprising the Commissioner (Home) and the Secretary IT which will submit its report in a time-bound manner.
Emphasising that the state administration was 'committed to the integrity of the state of Manipur', he assured that after the report is submitted 'and those responsible for the lapses, if any, are identified, strict action would be taken'.
On May 20, security forces allegedly stopped a state-run bus, carrying journalists to cover the Shirui Lily festival in Ukhrul district, near the Gwaltabi checkpost and forced Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staffers to cover the state's name written on the windshield with a white paper.
In the Valley, this was seen as an insult to the state which led to widespread protest.
According to Singh, there was 'no instructions whatsoever or even remote thought of covering the name of the state'. 'This has been amply clarified by the state government as well as by the responsible political leadership. What transpired on the ground, would be revealed after a thorough inquiry only,' Singh said.
Amid massive protests, Governor Bhalla, who was returning from Delhi after a meeting, was taken in a chopper to Raj Bhavan from the Imphal airport on Monday.
Congress state president K Meghachandra Singh has said the incident showed the failure of President's Rule in the state.
Chief Secretary Singh also said that the festival was organised 'as part of normalcy-restoration process' and it attracted about 1.7 lakh people.
'People of all communities travelled with families from valley areas and other parts of the state as well as from outside the state, to Ukhrul to attend the festival as the state administration provided foolproof security and safe environment for festive activities. However, one unfortunate incident on 20th of May 2025, when a Manipur State Road Transport Bus ferrying journalists to the Shirui Festival was stopped and the name of the state was reportedly covered, has drawn wide criticism,' he said.
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