COCOMI smells rat over Gwaltabi incident
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, May 20 2025:
Reacting to the Gwaltabi incident wherein personnel of Indian army's Mahar Regiment stopped an MST bus carrying journalists to cover the State Level Shirui Lily Festival and insisted on concealing the word 'Manipur' on the MST bus, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) IPR sub-committee convenor Laikhu-ram Jayenta said the army personnel's act and conduct appear to be a deliberate attempt to delegitimise the authority and very existence of the state of Manipur within its own territory.
He denounced that 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.
The official media team en-route to cover the opening of 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, noted the convenor.
"This outrageous directive caused confusion and concern among the journalists, who questioned the rationale for concealing the name of the state while travelling within its own territory.
This act represents 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 alarm ing extent to which cent ral forces have overridden civilian governance in the state," Jayenta said.
Expressing that the chain of command appears to have bypassed civil authority altogether, begging the question: Is Manipur under undeclared military rule?, convenor Jayenta pointed out that the Governor of Manipur, along with other officials who had earlier made assurances for peaceful and secure movement during the ongoing festival, have now been openly defied by their own security apparatus.
COCOMI demanded an immediate and reasonable explanation for these unprecedented actions.
The officers and units concerned must be held accountable, and appropriate measures must be taken without delay, he demanded.
COCOMI further declared full and unconditional support to the journalist fraternity, particularly AMWJU, and pledged to stand by all collective actions and decisions taken in the face of this grave situation.
Calling Tangkhul brethren to view this incident not merely as a lapse or mistake, but as part of a broader and deliberate design aimed at breaking the growing unity and mutual trust that has been forged among indigenous communities, he said that it is imperative that 'we remain united and resolute against the hostile agenda of immigrant armed groups protected under the questionable Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement' .
COCOMI will not tolerate inaction on the part of the Governor or any responsible state or central authority, he cautioned.
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