Latest news with #COCOMI
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Home Secretary likely to visit Manipur next week
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is likely to visit Manipur next week, on June 2 and June 3, in the wake of fresh protests and a 'civil disobedience' call by Meitei groups in the northeastern State over the May 20 incident in Gwaltabi. On that day, security forces allegedly tried to cover the word 'Manipur' on a State transport bus that was ferrying journalists to the hill district of Ukhrul for the Shirui Lily festival. After arriving in Imphal, the Home Secretary is likely to visit the Kuki-Zo areas in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi to review relief and rehabilitation work and the overall security scenario in the State, officials said. In an unprecedented turn of events, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, upon his arrival from Delhi on May 29, had to take a helicopter for the seven-kilometre journey from Imphal Airport to Raj Bhavan as protestors swarmed the roads seeking his apology for the Gwaltabi incident. The Coordination Committee for Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an Imphal-based Meitei civil society group, has called for the removal of all top government officials in the State, including the Director General of Police (DGP) and the Chief Secretary. This week, civilians also locked Government of India offices. The civil disobedience call given by COCOMI continues, with journalists boycotting all government functions and events. After President's Rule was imposed in the State on February 13, there has been a sharp drop in the number of violent incidents, and more than 350 people have been arrested for extortion, abductions, and threatening civilians. However, around 60,000 people who were displaced from their homes when ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people started in May 2023 are yet to be resettled and continue to live in relief camps. Around 250 people have been killed in the ethnic violence so far. Several civil society groups and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have demanded the restoration of the democratic set-up, and 10 Manipur legislators met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on May 28 at the Raj Bhavan to seek the formation of a 'popular' government. Earlier, on May 5, BJP's North East in-charge Sambit Patra met former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, BJP legislators in the valley and hills, and Kuki-Zo and Zomi civil society organisations. After the Gwaltabi incident, representatives of two different Meitei civil society organisations were called to Delhi to meet A.K. Mishra, the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA) North-East Adviser. On April 4, Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament that both communities in Manipur 'should understand that dialogue is the only way forward,' and that the Union government is not in favour of continuing President's Rule in the State 'even for a single day.' He reiterated that a Manipur High Court order had triggered the violence in the State in May 2023, adding that the interpretation of the order led to insecurities among the tribal community about losing reservation status and it became a 'tribals versus non-tribal' issue.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Manipur government takes action after controversial incident involving state transport signage
The Manipur government announced that strict action would be taken against those who are responsible for hiding the "Manipur State Transport Corporation" signage in front of the government bus on May 20. Manipur Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh said that the state administration has taken the reported untoward incident with utmost seriousness, and the incident is deeply regretted. 'In response, the Governor (Ajay Kumar Bhalla) has constituted an inquiry committee comprising the Commissioner, Home and the Secretary IT, which is to submit its report in a time-bound manner. We would like to assure all concerned that once the report is submitted and those responsible for the lapses, if any, are identified, strict action will be taken,' the Chief Secretary said in a statement. He said that the state would also ensure that such an incident does not recur in future, adding that the administration is committed to the integrity of the state of Manipur and the only aim of all these efforts is to establish lasting peace in the state. The administration once again requests all to cooperate in maintaining the public order, said the statement. The Chief Secretary said that the five-day (May 20 to 24) Shirui Lily Festival was organised in Ukhrul district as part of the normalcy-restoration process, and the festival attracted about 1.70 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 district to attend the festival as the state administration provided full-proof security and a safe environment for festive activities,' Singh said, however, one unfortunate incident occurred on May 20, when a Manipur State Road Transport Bus ferrying Journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival was stopped and the name of the state was reportedly covered, has drawn wide criticism. There had been no instructions whatsoever or even a remote thought of covering the name of the state, as has been alleged, he clarified. '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,' the Chief Secretary said. Various political parties, leaders and organisations protested the incident. After a 48-hour shutdown in the six Imphal valley regions on May 21-23, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the Meitei community apex body, since May 25, has been spearheading their second phase of agitation in Manipur in protest against the hide of the state's name from a government bus on May 20. The agitation includes a daily gherao at the main gate of the Governor's bungalow and holding rallies. The COCOMI also demanded a public apology from the Governor for the May 20 incident, and demanded the resignation of Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Security Advisor to the government, Kuldiep Singh and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, holding them responsible for failing to protect the dignity and integrity of the state of Manipur.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘In 3 months of President's Rule in Manipur, every attempt to restore peace has failed, those against it not held liable': COCOMI
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the umbrella body of the Meitei groups, has supported the move for government formation in the state. A day after the outfit held talks with the Union Home Ministry in Delhi over a row brewing on the covering up of 'Manipur' name on a state transport bus, its convenor Khuraijam Athouba told The Indian Express that the administration under President's Rule has not been able to restore peace nor punish those who disturbed it. In an interview, he also talked about the new row over which it announced a state-wide agitation starting May 25, and has demanded an apology from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, and the removal of Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, DGP Rajiv Singh and Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh. Excerpts: * Why have you hit the streets over the alleged covering up of the word 'Manipur' on a state transport bus by security forces? This May 20 incident is widely seen as an insult to the identity of the state by the state administration… The top administrators in the state right now – as it is under President's Rule – are the Chief Secretary, DGP and the Security Advisor. If that incident happened under some kind of instruction, the three of them must have knowledge of it. So, we hold them responsible and demanded their replacement… The Governor is the head of the state… So, he should take moral responsibility and we sought an apology from him… There was notification of the constitution of an inquiry committee… but it is not an independent inquiry as it (will be supervised by) the Chief Secretary… We could not get any positive response from the government's side. So, we had to intensify the agitation. * How was your meeting with Home Ministry officials on Tuesday? The meeting was earlier to be held ahead of our May 3 'People's Convention'. But because of Operation Sindoor – the entire nation stood with the government against terrorism – we held it back and extended our solidarity, waiting for the right time. By the time we met on Tuesday, the incident of May 20 had happened. So we included it in our agenda. We told Home Ministry officials that there should be some action from the government's side… We are waiting for the government's response. Hopefully we will see some decisions. * Ten Manipur MLAs met the Governor Wednesday claiming the support of 44 legislators to form a government. Are you in touch with these MLAs? We are not as such, but are planning to hold talks with MLAs regarding the resolutions we adopted so that there can be a unanimous voice before the Centre and an early settlement to the crisis… The MLAs are on the side of the people. However, the general feeling is that they are not doing enough, and have left matters to the civil society rather than functioning as people's representatives. * Do you think President's Rule should be lifted in Manipur and a popular government restored? Yes. The recent incident also shows that President's Rule is an alien administration. They don't understand the state's history and its identity; how the people are sensitive about it. The lack of that kind of understanding creates issues. They are unable to relate to the people. So, President's Rule is not a good choice. We have had bitter experiences with President's Rule in the past as well. If you remember 2001, the Assembly was burnt down during President's Rule… The government was not able to cope with the long-drawn crisis (since May 2023) and so thought of handing over things to the Centre… But after three months of President's Rule, there are no visible results. Every attempt to restore peace has failed, and those against peace have not been held liable. They haven't been punished, controlled or contained. * Has any effort been made to initiate talks with the Kuki side? No, not as of now, as the sane voices among Kuki civilians are yet to come forward. They are completely controlled by armed militant groups, who are solely responsible for this crisis. At Tuesday's meeting too, we told the Home Ministry that it is very important that the government control and contain all the elements trying to disrupt or suppress the voice of innocent civilians on the Kuki and Meitei side as well. We should help these voices emerge. If the government is able to control the separatists, we will also extend our support to talks for reconciliation and restoration of peace and normalcy in the state. We are waiting for that. * In case a popular government does take over, who could be the possible CM? It is difficult for us to comment on that… There are many people who want to become Chief Minister. I don't know what their (motivation) is. Are they trying to prove themselves capable of resolving the crisis, or are they just driven by hunger for power? * One concern of the Centre is that a large portion of the looted weapons and ammunition have not been surrendered yet. As per a government report, 5,000-plus arms have been recovered, most of them from the (Meitei-dominated) Valley. The hill volunteers and armed groups have openly defied the call of the government asking for surrender of arms. Despite this defiance by organisations and village volunteers, the government has not taken any counter-measure. This has created an apprehension in the minds of Valley people about whether surrendering of arms is the right thing or not… This is not conducive.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Breakthrough likely in the fresh row brewing in Manipur after Centre meets key outfit
The row over covering of the word 'Manipur' on a state transport bus a few days ago, which has led to a fresh round of protests in the state, reached Delhi on Tuesday. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which is spearheading the protests in Imphal and has been demanding resignation of senior officers over the issue, met senior Union Home Ministry officials. On Monday, the protests had forced Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla, who was returning from Delhi after a meeting, to take a chopper to his residence from the Imphal airport. Congress state president K Meghachandra Singh said the incident showed the failure of President's Rule in the state. The seven-member COCOMI delegation, led by its convenor Khuraijam Athouba, met the Home Ministry's North East Advisor A K Mishra and Intelligence Bureau Joint Director Rajesh Kamble. Athouba told The Indian Express: 'We had a good talk. We spoke about various issues, including our engagement with the government over the Manipur situation, our opposition to giving legitimacy to SoO groups (the groups with which the government has reached suspension of operations agreements) and the problem of narco-terrorism in the state. We also told them about the sentiment in the Valley over the current row. They said they would convey the same to the government. We hope the government will take action.' While the COCOMI has been seeking resignations of the DGP, Chief Secretary and Advisor to the Manipur government, sources said the Centre may not cede more than a statement of regret over the issue. Sources within the Meitei civil society also indicated that an apology could bring the anger in the Valley down. The row stems from a May 20 incident when security forces allegedly stopped a state-run bus, which was 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. The festival itself was a big moment for the administration in Manipur, run by the Home Ministry under President's Rule, as it was the first time it was being held since the start of the conflict in the state in May 2023. Transport of participants from the Valley to the neutral Naga territory where the festival was held required passing through three Kuki settlements. It was to be the first major movement of the Meities to the area in two years. Home Ministry sources told The Indian Express Tuesday that the row was unfortunate and that, contrary to what is being alleged, the security forces had not asked for covering the 'Manipur' word on the bus. 'In fact, the security forces were not allowing the bus itself to go ahead since there are restrictions on plying of state transport buses through Kuki areas… The organisers of the trip suggested that the 'Manipur' marking on the bus be covered with white paper so that the bus could go ahead. When this was being done, the journalists sitting in the bus protested and a row erupted,' an official said. The official added: 'After the DIPR decided to take journalists to the Shirui Lily festival, it asked the Transport Department to hire a bus. Ideally, private transport should have been hired. But the state bus was sent.' Resumption of mobility between the Meitei and Kuki areas had been one of the promises made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, after the imposition of President's Rule, with a deadline of March 8 set for it. However, the very first day, a Manipur state transport bus passing through Kangpokpi, a Kuki-dominated district, had been attacked and even fired upon. Since then, Manipur State Transport buses have not been plying in Kuki areas. In a statement after its meeting with Home Ministry officials Tuesday, the COCOMI said: 'The delegation conveyed the strong sentiments and demands of the people regarding the Gwaltabi issue. The MHA officials assured that the matter has been noted for necessary governmental action.' Raising the latest row, Congress general secretary and communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh demanded Shah's resignation on Monday. 'President's Rule appears to have made no difference whatsoever in Manipur. Today the Governor had to take a helicopter from the airport in Imphal to Kangla Fort in order to reach his residence. Meanwhile, the PM is busy giving filmi dialogues in different parts of the country and politicising Operation Sindoor while continuing to ignore Manipur. The Union Home Minister has failed most miserably and should resign for his total failure to bring a semblance of normalcy in Manipur, which he has been managing,' Ramesh said in a statement. Meghachandra said: 'Who instructed the Manipur Governor to remove the word 'Manipur' from the Manipur State Transport Corporation bus? Double-Engine government (of the BJP) has already failed Manipur over the last more than two years. President's Rule, too, has failed Manipur.' PM Modi has 'repeatedly' failed Manipur, the Congress state chief said. 'Home Minister Amit Shah should resign. The Manipur Governor should be recalled.'
NDTV
7 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Meitei Group COCOMI Meets Home Ministry, Asks To Act Against "Anti-Peace Elements"
New Delhi: A delegation of a Meitei civil society group from Manipur on Tuesday conveyed to the Centre its strong sentiments over a recent incident where the state's name written on the windshield of a bus was covered with a white paper. At a meeting held in Delhi, the delegation of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) also conveyed to the two representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) its unwavering commitment to peace and its willingness to cooperate in all genuine efforts to restore normalcy, a release issued by the COCOMI said. While the civil society group was represented by a seven-member team, the MHA was represented by AK Mishra, adviser to the MHA on northeast affairs, and Rajesh Kamble, MHA Joint Director. The delegation conveyed the strong sentiments and demands of the people regarding the Gwaltabi issue and the MHA officials assured that the matter has been noted for necessary governmental action, the release said. It was alleged that security forces had stopped a state-run bus, in which journalists were being taken by the government to cover the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district on May 20, near the Gwaltabi checkpost and forced the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staffers to cover the state's name written on the windshield with a white paper. Over the last week, protests over the incident have been going on in the Meitei-dominant Imphal valley. "The COCOMI reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to peace and its willingness to cooperate in all genuine efforts to restore normalcy. It urged the government of India to take prompt and effective action against anti-peace elements that continue to undermine peace initiatives. 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," the release said. The delegation highlighted several issues "requiring immediate attention and urgent intervention" from the government to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population, it said. These include, the COCOMI said, ensuring 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. The COCOMI rejected the "legitimacy of SoO groups", referring to the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement. It said engaging with civilians and genuine citizens from the Chin, Kuki, Mizo, Zomi, and Hmar tribes should be done after sorting out the anti-peace elements, the statement said. The group expressed deep concern over the "growing threats posed by narco-terrorism", cross border illegal immigration, widespread illegal opium cultivation, rampant forest encroachment, and the deteriorating law and order situation. The COCOMI delegation said it "highlighted that proceeds from these illicit activities are being used to fund armed groups led by foreign-based individuals." "Alarmingly, these groups have been in political dialogue with the government of India since 2008 and continue to receive financial support and shelter under the banner of the peace process. COCOMI appealed to the government of India to urgently review its engagement with these groups," it said. Over 260 people have been killed and 50,000 have been internally displaced since Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence broke out in May 2023. Meitei groups maintain the territorial integrity of the state is non-negotiable in any peace process, while the Kuki tribes say they want a separate administration.
