logo
Protests in Manipur after security forces cover state's name on govt bus carrying journalists

Protests in Manipur after security forces cover state's name on govt bus carrying journalists

The Print20-05-2025
The reason behind the act was not shared by the authorities till filing of the report.
The media groups also said that because of the 'harassment' caused to journalists, they will observe a pen down strike on Wednesday and boycott all news and information related to the Manipur government and all state and central forces operating here.
Imphal, May 20 (PTI) Major political parties and media organisations of Manipur on Tuesday criticised the security forces for allegedly stopping a government bus with journalists on board and covering the name of the state written on its windshield.
The Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) has arranged a Manipur State Transport bus to take around 20 journalists from the state capital Imphal to Ukhrul district to cover the 5th state-level tourism festival of Shirui Lily.
Security forces stopped the bus at Gwaltabi check post, some 25 km from here, and allegedly forced the DIPR staff to cover the state's name written on the top of the vehicle's windshield with a piece of white paper.
Following this, the journalists returned to Imphal. They also took part in a rally from Manipur Press Club to Raj Bhavan, a distance of around two km, to protest the incident and submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, demanding an investigation into the incident.
Manipur, which saw the deaths of at least 260 people in ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kukis since May 2023, is currently under the President's rule.
The BJP, which was governing the state before it came under the President's rule in February, and the Congress criticised the security forces for the incident.
'We strongly condemn the incident. Manipur was written on the state transport bus not specially for the festival. It has been in practice for decades,' state BJP Manipur general secretary P Premananda told reporters.
The party will not remain silent if the sentiments of the Manipuri people are offended, he said.
The Congress also expressed concern over the incident.
'The bus was sent to cover Shirui festival by the DIPR of the state government. It was meant to give a positive dimension of the state,' the party's senior spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei said.
The double engine did not succeed and now the President's rule, too, has failed to ensure free movement for all, he alleged.
The Congress leader said, 'When a Manipur state transport bus can't move freely within its own state, how can an ordinary person feel safe to move freely?' Media organisations, in their memorandum to the governor, sought immediate action against those responsible for 'causing harassment' to the journalists who went to cover the Shirui Lily Festival during the day.
'The vehicle cleared at least three checkpoints after routine security checks. However, upon reaching Gwaltabi, personnel from the 4 Mahar Regiment instructed the team to hide the phrase 'Manipur State Transport' printed on the front of the bus.
'The instruction raised concern and confusion among the media professionals, who questioned the logic behind hiding a state government name while operating within the state,' the memorandum submitted by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union and Editors Guild Manipur read.
In a joint emergency meeting, the two organisations decided to launch pen down strike on May 21.
'In the absence of an amicable solution, the pen-down strike may further be extended', the memorandum said, adding that the media houses will 'boycott all Manipur state government related news and information, including state and central forces operating in Manipur.' They also demanded an inquiry into the incident of harassment of media persons en route to Ukhrul for Shirui Lily Festival and fix responsibility.
Meanwhile, more than 200 women of Khwairambam market, the largest market in the state, also staged a protest in the wake of the incident.
The women protesters demanded action against the security forces personnel who stopped the bus. PTI COR NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Anert's note contains blatant lies: Chennithala
Anert's note contains blatant lies: Chennithala

Time of India

time22 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Anert's note contains blatant lies: Chennithala

T'puram: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the note released by Anert in response to his questions to the electricity minister regarding the multi-crore scam related to the PM KUSUM scheme, which provides free solar pumps to farmers in Kerala, contains blatant lies. "This explanation confirms all the corruption allegations I have raised. Anert's note, filled with falsehoods, is part of the electricity minister's attempt to evade answering the allegations," Chennithala said. He said the official has listed such blatant lies to cover up the corruption conducted on behalf of the electricity minister. "We all witnessed what happened to the former principal secretary to the chief minister, who justified a consultancy corruption deal I exposed during the previous govt's tenure. The same fate awaits this official," he added. "If attempts to protect this corrupt official continue, another major corruption involving him will soon be exposed. The govt has become one that charges commissions through consultancies," Chennithala said. When Anert called for a tender worth Rs 240cr, the CEO's authority was only Rs 5cr. Anert's claim that they did not call for a Rs 240-cr tender is a blatant lie. Kerala's e-tender portal clearly recorded the Rs 240-cr tender. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Similarly, the explanation given for amending the financial bid is strange. The most important aspect of a financial bid is the amount recorded. Amending a bid means changing the amount, he added. Another major falsehood is the claim that the CAG report approved this tender process. The CAG report examining the tender processing of this period has not yet been released, making this claim a blatant violation of service rules by the Anert official concerned, he said. The beneficiaries of the commission from the multi-crore transactions through Anert will soon be revealed. The electricity minister can no longer evade this issue. "I have all the evidence and documents of the corruption and irregularities. I challenge the minister for a detailed investigation. The minister should face the investigation with dignity instead of hiding behind officials. An investigation of Anert's transactions over the past five years should be conducted, and the legislative assembly committee should recommend an inquiry," demanded Ramesh Chennithala.

Tharoor unlikely to speak on debate on Pahalgam attack, Op Sindoor issues in LS
Tharoor unlikely to speak on debate on Pahalgam attack, Op Sindoor issues in LS

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Tharoor unlikely to speak on debate on Pahalgam attack, Op Sindoor issues in LS

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is unlikely to speak on the debate on Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor that gets underway in LS on Monday. "He has not asked the party to be fielded in the debate. The party too has not approached him either till now," sources said. It is to be seen who opens the debate for opposition or initiates the debate in case the chair asks anti-BJP benches to take the lead. The discussion is not being done under any specific rule of LS procedures and is also not based on any notice, sources said, quoting consultations between opposition, government and Speaker. While the belief is that Rahul Gandhi may start, there have been times like during opposition's no-confidence motion against Modi government on Manipur ethnic conflict in Aug 2023 when he let his now deputy Gaurav Gogoi to initiate, and himself spoke later. But Tharoor skipping the debate would set the tongues wagging, as the Thiruvananthapuram MP has had run-ins with the party since he defied Congress to lead a delegation constituted by Modi government for the global outreach on the India-Pakistan conflict. As Tharoor threw his weight behind the government on the issue of conflict and also on the pause of hostilities, there was a frequent to and fro between him and Congress members who were critical of the government.

Cong's cotton certification allegations misleading: Govt
Cong's cotton certification allegations misleading: Govt

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Cong's cotton certification allegations misleading: Govt

NEW DELHI: Centre on Sunday refuted Congress's allegations regarding irregularities in organic cotton certification, calling the remarks unfounded and misleading. The commerce ministry said the aspersions cast against National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) were baseless and unwarranted. "Generalised allegations against a robust regulatory system of the country for a particular crop/region/group of operators only serve to undermine the credibility of legitimate regulatory institutions and the broader organic movement in India," the ministry said in a statement. Congress on Saturday demanded a court-monitored CBI probe into an alleged scam in the sale of normal cotton as organic cotton in MP. Former MP CM Digvijaya Singh alleged India's image is being hurt globally as the country has lost credibility in certification of organic products.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store