PR failed to maintain peace in Manipur: Cong
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 27 2025: National and state leaders of the Congress party held the President's Rule administration responsible for the on going public unrest and raging agitations in Manipur.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, in a post on X, said that the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur "appears to have made no difference whatsoever", saying that Governor Ajay Bhalla "had to take a helicopter" to reach his residence amidst protests on Monday.

The Governor was returning to Manipur on Monday from New Delhi even as protests were on along the road to Airport in Imphal.

Ramesh, the Congress general secretary (communications), said, "President's Rule appears to have made no difference whatsoever in Manipur.

PR failed to maintain peace in Manipur: Cong

Today the Governor had to take a helicopter from the airport in Imphal to Kangla Fort in order to reach his residence.

Meanwhile, the PM is busy giving hlmi dialogues in different parts of the country and politicising Operation Sindoor while continuing to ignore Manipur" .

He added, "The Union Home Minister has failed most miserably and should resign for his total failure to bring a semblance of normalcy in Manipur, which he has been managing".

Meanwhile, former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh 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 Ajay Kumar Bhalla taking a helicopter to reach Raj Bhavan from Imphal Airport on Monday.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event marking the 61st death anniversary of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at Congress Bhawan, he termed as "very unlikely that without orders from a competent authority, personnel of the Mahar Regiment of the Indian Army would ask the journalists to cover the name of Manipur on a government bus".

"That competent authority may be the governor, the DGP or the security advisor...whoever that is should politely admit the mistake to the people before any further damage is done," he added.

"Manipur's name has been in existence for centuries before its merger with India in 1949.The respected governor and other competent authorities must understand this," Ibobi asserted.

"Who gave the order?" the former three times chief minister questioned.

"The uniformed personnel have come to the state to aid the civil administration in law and order issues.

But if the personnel of the Mahar Regiment acted on their own, why no action has been taken against them?" he maintained.

"Yesterday, the governor took a helicopter ride for just a few kilometres to reach Raj Bhavan from Imphal Airport...this is embarrassing.

The road does not pass through jungles but through areas inhabited by ordinary civilians," the Congress leader said with reference to Governor Ajay Bhalla, who reached Imphal from Delhi on Monday afternoon, taking a helicopter from the airport to reach Kangla Fort, around 300 metres from Raj Bhavan as protesters had formed a human chain along the 6-km route from the airport to the Governor's residence demanding an apology for the May 20 incident.

Responding to media query on the recent remark made by former Congressman and Bishnupur MLA Govindas Konthoujam on the unity of CSOs and MLAs, O Ibobi said he does not want to even mention the name of BJP MLA who betrayed Congress party in the past.

Minus five MLAs of Congress, the BJP and its allies still have 54 MLAs in the 60-member House.

"Even though Kuki MLAs may have issues in coming to Imphal due to the present unrest situation, the remaining 44 MLAs may apprise the Raj Bhavan and prepare for government formation.

There is no need for BJP and allied MLAs to request the Governor for government formation but they have to exercise their Constitutional rights," Ibobi said adding that it was quite shameful for the BJP MLA to asks the CSOs to unite while skipping his own responsibility to form government.

The stand of the Congress party is crystal clear that Manipur's integrity cannot be compromised and all the MLAs of Congress party are always ready to extend help when BJP MLAs call for working together in the interest of the people, O Ibobi maintained.

Regarding the May 20 Gwaltabi incident of erasing Manipur, O Ibobi said the matter cannot be concealed at all and truth will come out when PIL or RTI is filed as per constitutional rights.

It is the end of Manipur if state's name is erased within the state, he cautioned.

Amid protests over concealing the state's name on the windshield of a government bus, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Keisham Meghachandra also alleged that the President's Rule (PR) has "failed" to maintain peace in the state.

He also claimed Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who took charge in January this year, should be recalled by the Centre.

The Centre had on February 13 imposed the PR in Manipur after chief minister N Biren resigned, following a prolonged ethnic violence in the state.

The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.

In a post on X, K Meghachandra, who represents Wangkhem assembly constituency, alleged, "Double-engine government had already failed Manipur for the last more than 2 years.

President's Rule, too, has failed Manipur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly fails Manipur.

Home Minister Amit Shah should resign.

Manipur governor should be recalled." The term "double engine" is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state.

The Congress leader's remarks come at a time when the state has been witnessing protests for the last few days over the concealing of the state's name on the windshield of a government bus last week.

The protesters have been demanding an apology from the Governor for the May 20 incident.

Referring to the Gwaltabi incident, Meghachandra said, "Who instructed Manipur Governor to remove the word 'Manipur' from the Manipur State Transport Corporation bus?" .

In a post late on Monday, Meghachandra also said, "Manipur Governor had to take a helicopter to fly from Imphal International Airport in order to reach Raj Bhavan, which is around 7 km by road travel from the airport.

(With inputs from agencies) .