Athouba: No disgrace like Governor's chopper escape
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 20 2025: Malem Ima Kanba Lup (MIKAL) celebrated its 2nd Foundation Day on Friday at Manipur Press Club with former JNIMS director L Deben as chief guest and MIKAL president Y Kamalini as functional president.

The event was also attended by Kanglei Ima Lup (KIL) president RK Sanahanbi Devi, UCM and COCOMI senior consultative member Yumnam-cha Dilipkumar and MIKAL advisor Birjit Tourangbam as guests of honour.

COCOMI coordinator Khuraijam Athouba, who attended the event as a special invitee, said street protests cannot continue all the time and accordingly, a two-day shutdown was imposed recently regarding the May 20 Gwaltabi incident wherein the word 'Manipur' was forcibly concealed from the Manipur State Transport bus carrying media persons.

Athouba: No disgrace like Governor's chopper escape

"The two-day protest was not only a symbolic one but also a stern warning to all the non-local administrators that they cannot dishonour Manipur and such incidents should not happen ever again," he said.

The protest also demanded fixing of accountability to those involved in the incident because media persons were heading to cover an event organised by the government on a government bus and stopped by the government itself.

Being the matter within the government, accountability must be fixed on those guilty in the government, he said.

According to Athouba, the call for apology from the Governor for the Gwaltabi incident and resignation of chief secretary, DGP and security advisor, was people's voice of discontentment.

With none of the demands fulfilled and protests relating to Gwaltabi incident subsided now, people might think that COCOMI had failed.

It is not the failure of COCOMI but a part of the protest as the intended lesson had already been taught to all concerned including the Governor, he opined.

"There was nothing more dishonourable than the Governor unable to travel by road and opting to flee by helicopter for a short distance between Imphal airport and Raj Bhavan due to street protest," he remarked.

He further noted that during the President's Rule, the Governor is representative of the President of India.

"Due to mounting pressure from the people, the President's representative was compelled to express regret for the incident and even constituted an enquiry committee to investigate the incident and fix responsibility to those found guilty.

Issuing a written statement in this regard was a huge success for the people and the protest also taught a lesson," Athouba said.

Regarding the resolution arrived at during the people's convention held recently, Athouba said the resolutions were very strong and the Government of India had already acknowledged strength of the people gathered for the convention.

After threadbare discussions of the resolutions, the Government of India might take up a decision based on truth which neither favour the Meetei nor the Kukis.

If the Government of India does not take any decision, we have to resume intense forms of protest, Athouba said.

In her key note address, MIKAL general secretary Maibam Sobhalata said MIKAL was formed by like-minded mothers to save Kangleipak (Manipur) on June 20, 2023 after the violence broke out in May the same year.