48-hour strike paralyses normal life in Manipur

A street in Imphal wears a deserted look during the general strike on Thursday.

• IMPHAL — A 48-hour general strike called by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in protest against the May 20 incident, where the Army’s Mahar Regiment allegedly asked the occupants of a state transport bus to cover Manipur's name, brought normal life to a standstill in Manipur on Thursday.
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• The state bus was transporting media persons and Directorate of Information and Public Relation officials to cover the inaugural function of the 5-day state level Shirui festival, which is currently underway at multiple locations in Ukhrul district since May 20.
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• The May 20 incident took place at Gwaltabi area, about 25 km north of Imphal along the Imphal-Ukhrul highway.

Also read: Committee constituted into harassment of media persons

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• The protestors demanded an apology from the state governor and immediate resignation of top state officials for allegedly ordering removal of 'Manipur' from state buses.
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• The general strike, which came into force from Wednesday midnight, disturbed vehicular movement in the state, particularly in Imphal and other valley districts.
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• All shops in major markets in the state capital, including Paona Bazar, Thangal bazar, MG Avenue and the iconic Nupi Keithel (women’s market) and other periphery markets like Singjamei Super Market, remained closed due to the strike. Government offices also reported poor attendance.
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• The strike brought not only Imphal but also other parts of the state to a standstill, with passenger vehicles staying off the roads.
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• However, essential services, including media and the state-level Shirui festival, were exempted from the purview of the general strike.
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• There was also no report of any unwanted incidents during the course of the strike till the filing of this report.
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• The Shirui Lily festival is an annual state-level festival organised by Manipur Tourism department with an objective to create awareness about the endangered Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae), the state flower and promote sustainable tourism in the region, held at multiple locations including Shirui village in Ukhrul district.
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• This is the first state-level festival in the state since violence erupted in May 2023.