Women vendors protest
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 20 2025: Aggrieved by the Central forces' action of forcibly covering up the words "Manipur State Transport" painted on a bus in which media persons were travelling to cover the opening ceremony of Shirui Lily Festival 2025, women vendors of Khwairamband Keithel staged a protest demonstration today.

Shouting slogans like, "Manipur cannot be fragmented", "Long live Manipur" etc, the women vendors staged a protest demonstration in between the two adjacent Ima Markets of Khwairamband.

With regard to their agitation, Khwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Coordinating Committee for Peace co-convenor Laishram Memma, while pointing out Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla's assurance that there will be no disturbance to movement of people for Shirui Lily Festival, questioned if there is a hidden agenda behind security forces forcing the MST to cover up "Manipur State" painted on its bus at Gwaltabi today.

Taking strong exception to the restriction on painting "Manipur" on buses within Manipur, Memma demanded a convincing clarification from the Governor at the earliest.

The Governor, if he is not a part of the conspiracy, must take up befitting action against the Central security personnel who imposed the outrageous restriction, she said.

Otherwise, it would be assumed that the Governor is also a party to the conspiracy aimed at breaking Manipur apart, she added.

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