Manipur Governor Flies Over Protestors, Sparking Fresh Outrage
Imphal, Manipur – May 27, 2025 – Political tensions in Manipur escalated this week after Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla opted to travel 7 km by helicopter instead of road, to avoid direct confrontation with protestors demonstrating over a recent identity-related controversy. The move has drawn criticism and deepened the state’s ongoing crisis. The unrest in Manipur began following the removal of the words "Manipur State" from a government bus carrying journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul district. Central security forces allegedly ordered the removal, prompting widespread backlash from civil society groups, students, and women’s organizations across the state. In response, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) called for a 48-hour general strike and demanded an apology from the Governor. Protestors, forming human chains and staging sit-ins across Manipur, accused the central government of undermining the state's territorial […]
