COCOMI team holds talks on bus row with MHA officials
Guwahati: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and senior officials from the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) held a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the seven-member COCOMI delegation conveyed strong sentiments regarding the deletion of the state's name, 'Manipur', from a bus carrying journalists to Ukhrul district in Manipur.
The Manipur home department recently ordered the formation of a committee to examine the 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 the Gwaltabi checkpoint in Imphal East district.
After the meeting with MHA officials, COCOMI, in a press statement, said, "The delegation conveyed the strong sentiments and demands of the people regarding the Gwaltabi issue.
The MHA officials assured that the matter was noted for necessary governmental action."
The MHA was represented by AK Mishra, advisor to the MHA on Northeast affairs, and Rajesh Kamble, joint director, MHA. The COCOMI delegation was led by its convener, Khuraijam Athouba.
The COCOMI delegation also highlighted several critical issues requiring immediate attention and urgent intervention from the govt to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population.
These include ensuring the free movement of people, safeguarding farmers' right to cultivation along with appropriate compensation for their losses, protection of sacred religious sites, justice for missing persons, and the resettlement and redressal of grievances of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The two-hour-long meeting focused on key concerns surrounding the ongoing crisis in Manipur. "Both sides agreed to maintain communication and continue dialogue in the future, with a shared goal of restoring peace and stability in Manipur at the earliest," stated the COCOMI release.
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