‘Manipur’ Covered on Govt Bus: COCOMI’s 48-Hour Shutdown Cripples State

The shutdown severely affected daily life. Shops, schools, government offices, and public transport services remained closed.

A 48-hour statewide shutdown called by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) brought normal life to a standstill across Manipur on May 22. The shutdown was in protest against the forced covering of the word “Manipur” on a Manipur State Transport bus that was carrying journalists from Imphal to Ukhrul to cover the inaugural ceremony of the Shirui Lily Festival.

COCOMI Convenor Khuraijam Athouba, addressing a press conference on May 21 in Imphal, demanded a public apology from the Governor of Manipur. He also called for the resignation of top state officials, including the Director General of Police (DGP), the Security Advisor, and the Chief Secretary, over the incident.

The shutdown severely affected daily life. Shops, schools, government offices, and public transport services remained closed. Protesters took to the streets, urging residents to stay indoors. In several areas, demonstrators burned tyres to block roads and enforce the bandh. Security forces were deployed in large numbers, especially around key government installations, to prevent any untoward incidents.

In response to public outrage, Governor Ajay Bhalla announced the formation of a two-member inquiry committee on May 21 to probe the incident involving security personnel and the Manipur State Transport bus. The committee includes N Ashok Kumar, Commissioner (Home), and Kirankumar Singh, Secretary (IT), Government of Manipur.

The order stated that the committee would investigate the facts and circumstances of the incident and submit a report within 15 days. It has also been asked to suggest measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Also Read: Justice K. Somashekar Sworn In as Chief Justice of Manipur High Court

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