Imphal, Nov 20 (IANS) At least three people were injured and two others were detained after clashes broke out between security forces and demonstrators in Manipur on Thursday, when a large group of protesters attempted to storm the main venue of the annual Sangai Tourism Festival, scheduled to begin on Friday, officials said.
A police official stated that security forces resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, who demanded that, before holding the Sangai Festival in Imphal, the state government must first resolve the ongoing conflict in the state and rehabilitate people internally displaced from their villages due to the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023.
The annual Sangai Festival was not held in 2023 and 2024 as the 10-day carnival had been suspended for two years in the wake of the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
The Manipur government on Tuesday (November 18) appealed to all citizens, particularly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), affected by ethnic violence, and all stakeholders to extend full cooperation and support to ensure the grand success of the ‘Sangai Tourism Festival’.
Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, in an appeal, said that the Sangai Festival, scheduled from November 21 to 30, is not merely an event; it is a collective affirmation of “our commitment to moving forward together and hence, your full support and participation will definitely help the state move forward”.
On Thursday, as per the previous announcement, the demonstrators led by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of several Meitei civil society organisations of Manipur, gathered at Konung Mamang, near the main festival venue, to protest the holding of the festival.
Rejecting the security forces’ appeal, a large number of the COCOMI activists proceeded towards the main venue. The security forces personnel, who were outnumbered, used batons and fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
A scuffle also broke out between the security forces and demonstrators, including women, near Maharaja Bodhchandra College, close to the venue, as the protesters forcibly attempted to advance by removing security barricades, leading to the injury of at least three COCOMI activists.
The security forces also detained three protestors. On the other hand, hundreds of ethnic violence hit IDPs in five to six Imphal valley districts, including Imphal West and Imphal East districts, on Thursday staged sit-in demonstrations at their respective relief camps against celebrating the annual Sangai tourism festival.
Meanwhile, a 24-hour shutdown called by a banned militant outfit opposing the festival partially affected normal life in Imphal valley districts on Wednesday.
Chief Secretary Goel on Tuesday said the government reiterates that economic revival, tourism promotion, youth empowerment and community harmony are vital pillars for bringing Manipur back onto a sustained path of growth.
The Sangai Festival aims to embody these goals, acting as a catalyst for renewed hope, opportunity, economic growth and unity, he said. The state government fully recognises the profound hardship and suffering endured by the citizens, particularly the IDPs.
Goel had said that addressing the humanitarian crisis remains the government’s foremost priority, and significant, concrete steps have been taken towards relief and long-term rehabilitation.
Currently, Rs 18 crore per month is being spent on providing monetary assistance to the IDPs and for the management of relief camps across the state, he said.
According to the Chief Secretary, Rs 523 crore has been provided under Special Relief Package by Government of India, out of this, Rs 180 crore has been earmarked for house restoration assistance for displaced families and Rs 250 crore for providing public assets such as health centres, community halls, water supply, schools, etc at the places where IDPs would be resettled or rehabilitated.
He had said that while relief and rehabilitation of IDPs is the top priority for the state government, holding of Sangai Festival is also important for economic acceleration and to provide market linkages for local artisans, entrepreneurs, craftsmen and farmers, boosting trade and investment.
The government is simultaneously pushing major developmental projects to create jobs and enhance the ease of living, Goel pointed out.
–IANS
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