Strike over Sangai Festival brings Imphal valley to a halt

IMPHAL — A day-long general strike called by the Kangleipak Communist Party–Military Council (Progressive) disrupted normal life across Imphal valley on Wednesday, with markets, transport services, and offices remaining shut.

The underground group announced the strike to oppose the Manipur Sangai Festival, scheduled to be held from November 21 to the 30th, stating that the current situation arising from ongoing ethnic violence makes the event inappropriate.

Roads leading to Imphal remained empty as public transport and other services suspended their operations. Major markets, including Paona Bazar, Thangal Bazar, MG Avenue and the Nupi Keithel (women’s market), stayed closed throughout the day along with several peripheral markets.

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Government and private offices also saw low attendance as the strike took effect across the valley. Essential services, including media, were exempted. No untoward incidents were reported.

The Manipur Sangai Festival, named after the endangered deer found only in the state, is the government’s annual tourism showcase and has been held every year since 2010.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi), a coalition of civil society organisations, has urged residents to hold a collective sit-in protest on November 21 against the festival. It has also appealed for support to a sit-in planned by internally displaced persons on November 20.

Internally displaced persons staying in relief camps for more than two years have announced they will stage protests on November 20, reiterating demands for resettlement and free movement along the highways. Several other civil society groups and student bodies have also declared they will boycott the festival, citing the prolonged unrest in the state.