Rooting for withdrawal of PR post Gwaltabi incident
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 29, 2025 -

APART from national and state leaders of the Congress party holding the President's Rule administration responsible for the public unrest aftermath of the May 20 Gwaltabi incident, civil society organisations, which have been leading the people's movement for restoring peace and normalcy in the strife-torn state, also appear to be averse to the idea of extending tenure of the PR.

Besides Congress, all other political parties active in the state had also been demanding either reinstatement of a popular government or conduct of fresh election to enable the people elect their government of choice.

Unmistakably, the demand for formation of a new government tends to gain traction whenever there is escalation of agitation in the state and the protesters articulate displeasure over lack of unity among the elected people's representatives, especially MLAs of the ruling BJP and its many allies.

The latter group has, indeed, been exploring various options to stake claim for government formation but the said initiatives could not be translated into action due to lack of consensus in choosing the leader.

Amid the state experiencing fresh bout of public agitations over the Gwaltabi incident, and some section of the protesters mincing no words in criticising the MLAs, Congress leader jairam Ramesh has likened the helicopter ride taken by Governor Ajay Bhalla, compelled by presence of large number of protesters from near the Imphal airport till Keishampat on May 26, to reach his official residence via the historic Kangla Fort, to failure of the governance under the President's Rule in maintaining law and order.

Jairam, who is one of the most vocal critiques of the BJP government, both in the state, prior to imposition of PR, and at New Delhi, opined that the President's Rule appears to have made no difference whatsoever in Manipur, referring to the Governor taking the aerial route to avoid the protesters.

His criticism did not end with the Governor, but also asked the Union Home Minister to step down on moral ground as the government hasn't been able to bring a semblance of normalcy in Manipur.

Similarly, former chief minister Okram Ibobi demanded that the 'competent authority' who ordered the removal of the state's name from a government bus must apologise to the people of the state.

The Congress Legislative Party leader also termed as 'embarrassing' the act of Governor Bhalla taking a helicopter to reach Raj Bhavan from the Imphal Airport.

The seasoned Congress leader also pointed out that without orders from a competent authority, personnel of the Mahar Regiment of the Indian Army wouldn't have asked the journalists to cover the name of Manipur on a government bus.

There is no doubt that the Gwaltabi incident wouldn't have occurred had the administrators of the PR government strengthened presence of security personnel long the Imphal-Ukhrul road instead of the Mahar Regiment insisting on concealment of 'Manipur' on the windshield of the MST bus.

Now that the particular incident has provoked the masses to come to the streets to express dissent against conduct and attitude of the Indian army unit, time has come for the Governor to accord importance in inviting leaders of civil bodies concerned to iron out the differences.