Manipur bus name row: Guv forms 2-member panel
Guwahati:
Manipur governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla
on Wednesday constituted a two-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding Tuesday morning's incident where the word 'Manipur' was removed from a state transport bus, triggering a huge controversy.
The bus was carrying journalists from Imphal to Ukhrul district to cover the
Shirui Lily Festival
sponsored by the Manipur tourism department.
The committee consists of commissioner (home) N Ashok Kumar and secretary (IT) Th Kirankumar Singh. "The committee shall look into any lapses and suggest measures to prevent the recurrence of such a situation in the future," read the order. The committee has been asked to submit its report within 15 days.
The home department orders stated that the committee was constituted to examine facts and circumstances involving security personnel and the
Manipur State Road Transport
Bus carrying media persons to cover the Shirui Lily Festival on May 20 near Gwaltabi checkpoint in Imphal East district.
The five-day Shirui Lily Festival, which governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla inaugurated on Tuesday, was overshadowed by security personnel allegedly asking for the removal of 'Manipur State Transport" from the bus.
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This led to journalists protesting at Raj Bhawan on Tuesday, followed by demonstrations by youths and women in Imphal on Wednesday.
BJP's northeast in-charge Sambit Patra said the integrity of Manipur is non-negotiable, while the opposition Congress and prominent civil society organisations expressed concern over the security personnel's alleged instructions. Patra described the incident as an 'avoidable misunderstanding.'
In his Tuesday social media post, Patra said, "I would like to congratulate the state of Manipur for successfully conducting the Shirui Lily festival after two years. Since May 17 to May 20, about three to four Manipur state transport buses carrying about 2,000 people travelled to Ukhrul, where the Shirui Lily Festival is being conducted. Today (Tuesday), an unfortunate incident happened, I believe, because of an avoidable misunderstanding.
I firmly reiterate that as far as the integrity of Manipur is concerned, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah has maintained since his first press conference in Manipur that the integrity of Manipur is something which is non-negotiable, something which we always stand for."
Patra emphasised that Manipur's return to festivities after two years should be celebrated and not conspired against. "Anyone who feels this is a conspiracy, I, on behalf of BJP, would like to assure that this is not a conspiracy and have faith in us," Patra said.
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi) deemed the erasing of the name 'Manipur' from the bus as irresponsible and anti-state, announcing a 48-hour general strike from Wednesday midnight. At an Imphal press conference, Cocomi convener Khuraijam Athouba demanded the governor's apology and resignations of security advisor Kuldiep Singh, DGP Rajiv Singh, and chief secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, holding them accountable for diminishing Manipur's identity.
He characterised the name removal as compromising the state's dignity and legitimacy. "We demand the immediate withdrawal of President's Rule and this kind of administration from Manipur. We need the people of the state to govern and rule over the state because they understand the significance and value of Manipur's name," he said.
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