Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the protesters in front of Kangla Gate, some 150 metres from Raj Bhavan gate.
Several people were injured after a scuffle broke out between protesters and security forces who were on their way to gherao the Raj Bhavan against the removal of the state’s name from a government bus.
The security forces fired tear gas shells and used mock bombs to disperse protesters in front of Kangla Gate, some 150 metres from Raj Bhavan gate, news agency PTI reported.
The protesters responding to a call by COCOMI (Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity) to stage mass agitation against the alleged removal of “Manipur” from Manipur State Transport bus with journalists on board on May 20 en route to the Shirui Festival in Ukhrul district.
The protestors marched for some 500 metres before they were stopped by security forces. They were demanding an apology from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla over an alleged insult to Manipur’s identity.
Five protesters have been admitted to hospital with injuries, a hospital official said.
The governor continues to disregard the sentiments of the people by his silence. He and his administration has completely humiliated the state’s historical and cultural legacy all the while administering the state. The inquiry commission set up by the government to probe the incident is not enough and does not mention anything about penalising those who were involved,” a protestor told the news agency.
A row erupted after a media team, en route to cover the opening ceremony of the five-day-long Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district on May 20, was forced to return to Imphal, allegedly after some security personnel blocked their bus at Gwaltabi in Imphal East district.
It was alleged that security forces had stopped the state-run bus, on which journalists were being taken by the government to cover the tourism festival in the district on Tuesday, and forced the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staffers to cover the state’s name written on the windshield with a white paper.
COCOMI had announced the statewide agitation and demanded the resignation of the Chief Secretary, DGP, and Security Advisor over the incident. The group had also announced a civil disobedience movement across the state in protest against the Governor’s alleged refusal to apologise for the removal of the state’s name from the government bus.
Meanwhile, the Manipur government earlier this week ordered a probe into the allegations.
