Guwahati, May 20: The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a joint body of Meetei civil society organisations, has condemned the recent actions of the Indian Army’s Mahar Regiment deployed in Manipur, particularly in the Gwaltabi area, which, it said, “appear to be a deliberate attempt to delegitimise the authority and very existence of the state of Manipur within its own territory.”
“Such actions are not only irresponsible but dangerously align with the agendas of illegal elements who have been persistently working to destabilise the region over the past two years,” Laikhuram Jayenta, convenor, IPR sub-committee, COCOMI, said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, an official media team, en route to cover the opening of the Shirui Lily Festival 2025, a state-sponsored event facilitated by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Manipur, was forced to return midway by security forces at the Gwaltabi checkpoint in Imphal East.
“Shockingly, the security personnel instructed the journalists to cover up the words, “Manipur State Transport,” printed on their bus before proceeding further,” Jayenta stated.
“This outrageous directive caused confusion and concern among the journalists, who questioned the logic of concealing the name of the state while travelling within its own territory. Viewing the order as unjustified, unacceptable, and a direct affront to the state’s legitimacy, the journalists made the collective decision to disembark from the official transport and return to Imphal. They later arranged for alternative transportation independently to return back without carrying out their professional duties,” he said.
COCOMI termed the act as a “gross violation of the state’s dignity and sovereign administrative authority.”
“It also raises disturbing questions about the operational motives and chain of command within the Indian Army and other central forces deployed in the region. The fact that such an incident could take place during an official government programme underscores the alarming extent to which central forces have overridden civilian governance in the state,” the COCOMI convenor said.
“COCOMI, on behalf of the people of Manipur, demands an immediate and reasonable explanation for these unprecedented actions. The concerned officers and units must be held accountable, and appropriate measures must be taken without delay,” he added.
COCOMI further declared its full and unconditional support to the working journalist community, particularly AMWJU, and decided to stand by all collective actions and decisions taken in the face of the grave situation.
Notably, Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, 2025, fo