Meitei group to launch civil disobedience agitation, boycott Manipur Governor
A leading Meitei group announced a civil disobedience movement across Manipur from Sunday in protest against Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla's alleged refusal to apologise for the removal of the state's name from a government bus, sparking widespread discontent.The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of the Meitei community, has declared a public boycott of the Manipur Governor and announced the statewide mass agitation in response to what it calls an "insult" to the state's identity. The announcement follows the expiry of a 48-hour ultimatum issued to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to tender a public apology for the alleged restriction on the use of the word 'Manipur' on a Manipur State Transport (MST) bus.advertisementOn Saturday, a COCOMI statement signed by convenor Kh Athouba condemned the Governor's silence and criticised the Presidential Rule (PR) administration's failure to address what it described as a grave affront to the state's identity.
President's rule was imposed in the state on February 13.The controversy erupted following a May 20 incident in which an MST bus transporting a team of journalists was allegedly detained by central forces at Guwaltabi along the Imphal-Ukhrul road. The forces reportedly demanded that the word 'Manipur' be removed from the vehicle's signage before allowing the media team to proceed to cover the inaugural function of the fifth Shirui Lily Festival.In the immediate aftermath, COCOMI declared a 48-hour general strike across the state, which concluded on Friday midnight. The shutdown affected normal life in four valley districts - Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching and Thoubal, with roads deserted and businesses shuttered.advertisementCOCOMI accused the Governor and PR authorities of being disconnected from the ground reality and indifferent to the sentiments of the people. It was announced that beginning Sunday, people across the state would stage demonstrations outside Raj Bhavan demanding an apology. Similar protests would also be carried out at central government offices, district headquarters and PR administration offices.While stressing that the movement would remain democratic and non-violent, the statement said the people would express their resistance through a civil disobedience campaign against the PR administration.COCOMI urged people to withdraw cooperation from central government offices that have allegedly repeatedly undermined the dignity of the state. However, the statement clarified that essential services including education, healthcare, sports, banking, postal service and other vital sectors would be exempted.Highlighting the demands of the agitation, the statement said, "The Governor must issue a public apology to the people of Manipur and top administrative officials, including the Chief Secretary, the Security Advisor and the Director General of Police, should resign, citing their incompetence. There should be a replacement of the current administrative inquiry committee with an independent panel led by a retired High Court judge and the administration should publicly explain the circumstances of the Guwaltabi incident."COCOMI stated that the movement was not a protest against peace, but a demonstration against what it called the surrender of governance to narco-terror threats, the alienation of the people of Manipur and the erasure of the state's identity under the PR regime. "Manipur is not a negotiable term," it said.(with inputs from PTI)Must Watch
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