48-hour shutdown cripples life in Manipur’s valley region

Imphal: The 48-hour state-wide shutdown, called by Meitei community umbrella body Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in protest against the removal of the state’s name from a government bus on Tuesday, badly affected normal life in five to six districts of Manipur’s valley region on Thursday, officials said.

A senior police official said that most markets, shops, business establishments, educational institutions, and government and private offices were closed, and public transport remained off the roads in the valley region, inhabited by the Meitei community.

COCOMI supporters came out on the streets to enforce the shutdown, and they urged the people to remain inside their homes. The bandh supporters also burned tyres on the roads at different places in the state capital, Imphal.

The official said that so far, there has been no major incident in connection with the bandh.

As per the call of the COCOMI, the shutdown started on Wednesday midnight, and it had almost no effect in Kuki-Zo-Hmar and Naga-dominated hill areas.

The state government has deployed a huge contingent of central and state forces to prevent any untoward incident relating to the shutdown.

Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel have been deployed in all strategic locations in Imphal East and Imphal West districts, including the Raj Bhavan, Civil Secretariat, police headquarters and offices of important officials.

Meanwhile, a media team, en route to cover the opening ceremony of the five-day-long Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district on Tuesday, was forced to return to Imphal, allegedly after some security personnel blocked their bus at Gwaltabi in Imphal East district.

The All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) and the Editors Guild Manipur (EGM), in a joint letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Tuesday, said that the security personnel instructed the media team to hide the “Manipur State Transport Corporation” signage on the front of the bus carrying 20 journalists and some Information Department officials.

Reacting strongly, the AMWJU and the EGM organised a “pen down” protest on Wednesday against the “disrespectful behaviour” by the security personnel towards the press and the people of Manipur.

The Manipur government on Wednesday constituted a two-member inquiry committee to probe the issue. The committee, comprising Commissioner, Home, N. Ashok Kumar, and Information Technology Secretary Th. Kirankumar Singh, would submit their report within 15 days.

“The committee shall look into lapses, if any, and suggest measures to prevent recurrence of such a situation in future,” Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh said in the order.

Condemning the reported removal of the word “Manipur” from a state transport bus by the security personnel, COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba demanded a formal apology from Governor Bhalla.

The leading Meitei community body also called for the immediate resignation of Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, holding them responsible for failing to protect the dignity and integrity of the state of Manipur.

Opposition Congress, its Lok Sabha member Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, BJP’s Rajya Sabha member from Manipur Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba, former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and many other leaders and organisations protested the incident.

In view of the 5-day long (May 20 to 24) Shirui Lily Festival, the Manipur government has taken huge security measures after reported threats by some individuals and organisations to the Meitei community against entering Kuki tribal-dominated areas during the festival.

Shirui Lily Festival, mostly organised by the Meitei community, is celebrated in honour of the state flower, the Shirui Lily. Underlining its ecological importance, the celebration takes place during the peak blooming season of the rare and endangered flower that can only be found in Manipur. The lily grows on top of the Shirui hills in Ukhrul district and cannot be replanted anywhere else in the world.

-IANS