PPAM demands independent probe into Gwaltabi incident
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 29 2025: The People's Progressive Alliance Manipur (PPAM), a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), has launched a scathing attack on the state administration, alleging a deliberate attempt to erase the legal identity of the state.

The controversy follows the now-infamous "Gwaltabi In cident" on May 20, 2025, where security personnel allegedly ordered the removal of the word "Manipur" from a Manipur State Transport (MST) bus carrying journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul.

Stating that the Manipur chief secretary, in press releases issued on May 27 and 28, described the event as "unfortunate" and maintained that no official instructions were given to cover or erase the name of the state, PPAM dismissed the clarification as "immature, incompetent, and duplicitous", accusing the state's top bureaucrats and officials of participating in a "calculated move" to undermine Manipur's sovereignty.

The controversy erupted after personnel from the 4th Mahar Regiment and the Border Security Force (BSF) stopped the MST bus near Gwaltabi and reportedly ordered that the word "Manipur" be removed from the vehicle.

This sparked a wave of protests, including a state-wide bandh, with demonstrators condemning what they perceived as a direct affront to Manipur's legal and cultural identity, noted the PPAM.

Video footage, photographs, and eyewitness testimony from journalists present at the scene have been widely circulated on social and traditional media.

The PPAM asserted that the name was not merely "covered", as claimed by the Chief Secretary, but was "explicitly erased" in full view of law enforcement officials.

The chief secretary's twin press releases sought to assure the public that the incident would be investigated and that strict action would follow.

However, the PPAM has dismissed these assurances as hollow, citing inconsistencies and omissions in the official statements.

In a detailed rebuttal, the PPAM accused the administration of attempting to downplay the incident with ambiguous language and vague promises.

For instance, the use of the phrase "reportedly covered" was described by the Alliance as an intentional misrepresentation, aimed at blurring the gravity of what occurred.

"The people of Manipur are not reacting to rumours," read the PPAM's counterstatement, "but to a documented event that violated the state s constitutional dignity".

According to PPAM, contrary to the chief secretary's assertion, the removal of the name "Manipur" from the MST bus was neither an isolated incident nor an unauthorised action.

Investigations conducted by the PPAM have revealed that this was a deliberate decision, endorsed at the highest levels of the state administration.

On May 21, 2025, during a meeting with 10 representatives from Imagi Meira (IM), Apunba Awonba Manipur Amagidamak (AAMA), Apunba Manipur Mamasing (AMM), and the Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC), the security advisor Kuldiep Singh, admitted that the decision was made collectively.

According to his statement, the move involved consultation among the Governor of Manipur, the security advisor himself, and the chief secretary.

This account was subsequently confirmed later that evening by the Governor of Manipur in a separate meeting held at Raj Bhawan with five representatives from Imagi Meira (IM), Manipur International Youth Centre (MIYC), Apunba Awonba Manipur Amagidamak (AAMA), and the Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC).

The state's announcement of an enquiry committee, composed of the commissioner for Home and the secretary for Information Technology, has done little to quell public scepticism.

Critics argue that entrusting the investigation to officials within the same administrative structure raises questions about impartiality.

"Why wasn't the enquiry launched immediately after the incident?" the PPAM asked, questioning both the timing and the composition of the panel.

"What credibility can an internal investigation hold when those involved are part of the very machinery accused of wrongdoing?" .

The PPAM has demanded an independent probe and insisted that the current approach serves only to delay justice and deflect responsibility.

The incident has galvanised public opinion, with thousands taking to the streets to demand accountability.

Protesters, including members of various CSOs, have held demonstrations across Imphal and other parts of the state.

The Alliance has issued a public challenge to the chief secretary, calling for a face-to-face debate with PPAM representatives within seven days.

Should the chief secretary fail to accept, the group said it would consider his silence as further proof of complicity in "engineering ethnic divide in Manipur" .

In addition to a public debate, the PPAM has posed a series of direct questions to the administration: Who ordered the removal of the word "Manipur" and why?, On what legal basis was such an order given?, How does the administration plan to rebuild trust after this symbolic erasure?, What guarantees can be made to ensure such actions are never repeated?, Why did the administration believe erasing the name of our state, Manipur was an acceptable "security" response? The Alliance concluded its statement by reiterating its commitment to defending Manipur's legal identity and cultural dignity.

"We will not be placated by hollow apologies, duplicative press releases, or internal inquiries designed to perpetuate impunity," it declared, adding, "We demand truth, transparency, and accountability - and we demand them now" .

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