Controversy Erupts as Security Forces Allegedly Instruct Journalists to Conceal ‘Manipur’ Label. A controversy started in Manipur during the Shirui Lily festival due to the state bus incident that was carrying journalists. The bus was stopped forcefully by the Mhar regiment. The incident made all the journalists angry, as they were asked to conceal the words “Manipur State Transport” written on the front of the bus. To know more about the topic “Controversy Erupts as Security Forces Allegedly Instruct Journalists to Conceal ‘Manipur’ Label,” read the complete article.
Controversy Erupts as Security Forces Allegedly Instruct Journalists to Conceal ‘Manipur’ Label
A controversy erupted in Manipur on tuesday after security personnel allegedly stopped a group of 20 journalists traveling to cover the Shirui Lily Festival in the Naga-majority Ukhrul district. The media team was traveling in a government bus marked “Manipur State Transport” when they were told to hide the signage by the security forces. The incident occurred at the Gwalatbi checkpoint in Imphal East, roughly 25 kilometers from Imphal city, and prompted the media team to abandon their official assignment and return to the capital.
The media groups said that because of the “harassment” caused to journalists, they will observe a pen-down strike on Wednesday and boycott all news and information related to the Manipur government and all state and central forces operating here. The reason behind the act was not shared by the authorities till the filing of the report. The Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) has arranged a Manipur State Transport bus to take around 20 journalists from the state capital, Imphal, to Ukhrul district to cover the 5th state-level tourism festival of Shirui Lily.
Political Leaders’ View
Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba criticized the move as “surprising and painful,” questioning why a state-organized festival would require concealing its own name. Manipur PCC spokesperson Bhupendra Meitei called out the government’s failure to uphold free movement within the state, arguing that restrictions on an official bus raised concerns about the rights of ordinary citizens.
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a significant Meitei civil society group, strongly criticized the incident, calling it “a deliberate attempt to delegitimize the authority and very existence of the state of Manipur within its own territory.” COCOMI criticized this as an attempt to suppress press freedom and demanded accountability for the restriction on journalists’ movement. The organization expressed solidarity with the journalists, highlighting the requirement for free and fair media access in Manipur.
Response by Manipur Journalists
The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union and Editors’ Guild Manipur also condemned the incident. They submitted a letter to the governor, demanding an investigation and action against those responsible. They pointed out that the bus was arranged specifically for the media by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations.
The letter stated, “Upon reaching Gwaltabi, personnel from the 4 Mahar Regiment told the media team to hide the words ‘Manipur State Transport’ displayed on the front of the bus. This instruction caused concern and confusion among the journalists, who questioned why a state government name should be hidden within its own state”.
Though the team initially tried to comply in order to reach the venue on time, delays during negotiations with the security forces caused them to abandon the trip and return to Imphal. They later arranged alternative transport on their own. Journalists called on the authorities to explain the reason for the unusual instruction, especially as the journey was state-sponsored.
In response, journalists staged a protest meeting from the Manipur Press Club to Raj Bhavan in Imphal, asking for accountability and action against the security personnel involved. The rally, which saw huge participation, was stopped a few meters from Raj Bhavan, where the protesters submitted a memorandum to the Governor’s office. Reports also indicate that the media community called for a “pen-down strike” to press their demands.
Another Case in the Shirui Lily Festival
The five-day festival, a state-sponsored event celebrating Manipur’s state flower, the Shirui Lily, was launched on Tuesday by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla. The festival had drawn attention after an FIR was filed against a Kuki student leader who allegedly threatened that Meiteis would not be allowed to cross buffer zones to attend the event. The route to Ukhrul passes via several Kuki villages.
