Hundreds of internally displaced persons from relief camps in and around Imphal took to the streets on Monday. They marched in a rally towards Lok Bhavan, joined by members of the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity. The protesters demanded immediate resettlement and rehabilitation for families uprooted by prolonged violence in the state.
Governor Faces Protests Upon Return
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla returned to Imphal from Delhi on Monday afternoon. His arrival was met with protests by IDPs and Cocomi members. As the governor traveled from the airport to Lok Bhavan, his carcade was forced to use the wrong side of the road. Protesters had assembled on the other side at Takhel Leikai area in Imphal West district since noon.
Memoranda and Indifference Allegations
Cocomi and IDPs had submitted a series of memoranda every day from December 1 to 30 last month. These were addressed to the governor and chief secretary, following earlier assurances by Manipur authorities to resettle IDPs by December. Alleging an indifferent approach by authorities, Cocomi and IDP representatives announced the rally to directly seek a response.
Security Deployment and Meeting
A large number of security personnel were deployed at key locations since morning in anticipation of the protests. As the rally neared Lok Bhavan, security forces intercepted protesters at Keishampat Junction, barely 100 metres away. A delegation of 11 members was allowed to meet Governor Bhalla, Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, and Home Commissioner N Ashok Kumar around 3:30 pm.
Post-Meeting Statements
Cocomi convenor Khuraijam Athouba spoke to the media after the meeting. He said issues from the December memoranda were revisited during Monday's discussion. Athouba emphasized that the government must remain accountable and responsive to public grievances in a democratic system. The delegation questioned authorities over the lack of response to recent memoranda.
Athouba stated, "The authorities assured us that a formal written reply addressing all points raised earlier would be issued by Tuesday. We will wait for the response and see if it is satisfactory for the people. We will decide our future course of action accordingly."
Clarification on Buffer Zones
On the contentious issue of 'buffer zones', Khuraijam said the governor categorically told the delegation that no officially recognised buffer zone exists within the same administrative setup. He added that such narratives are being forcefully propagated. Cocomi demanded this clarification be issued officially to prevent public confusion and fear, to which the governor reportedly agreed.
