IT Desk
Imphal, May 22:
The controversy surrounding the detention of a Manipur State Transport (MST) bus carrying journalists en route to cover the 5th Shirui Lily Festival has escalated, with strong reactions from media bodies and civil society groups. The focal point of criticism now lies with the top echelons of state authority—the Governor, Chief Secretary, and Director General of Police (DGP)—as questions mount over who issued the contentious order to conceal the word “Manipur” from the vehicle’s front display.
On May 20, troops from the 4th Maha Regiment, stationed at Gwaltabi along the Imphal-Ukhrul road, stopped the MST bus arranged by the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR). The vehicle was carrying 22 journalists to cover a state-sponsored event inaugurated by Governor AK Bhalla. The troops demanded the removal or concealment of the label “Manipur State Transport” from the bus windshield. In a shocking development, the Manipur Police team that arrived at the scene did not question the military’s actions but reportedly assisted in enforcing the order.
The incident triggered an immediate backlash from the journalist community, prompting a return to Imphal and sparking a 48-hour general strike spearheaded by civil society organizations. The All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) and the Editors’ Guild Manipur (EGM) subsequently launched a statewide pen-down strike on May 21, halting news coverage across print and broadcast media. Evening news publications were suspended on the next day while morning newspaper stopped publication on today as a mark of protest.
A joint memorandum was submitted to the Governor on May 20, demanding justice and an explanation for what the journalist community describes as an act of humiliation and state-sponsored censorship. In response, a six-member delegation from AMWJU and EGM was invited for talks by the Governor’s Secretariat yesterday evening, during which the Governor reportedly assured an enquiry into the matter would be conducted and concluded within 15 days.
However, the assurances have not quelled the larger concern: Who issued the original order to target MST buses or to conceal the name “Manipur”?
Sources indicate that instructions may have come from top government officials advising against the use of MST buses for Shirui Festival-related travel. If true, the investigation’s credibility hinges on identifying the specific authority—Was it the DGP, the Chief Secretary, or even the Governor’s office—that issued or allowed such directives?
The demand from the press that should be understand by the governor is that: the enquiry must focus not merely on the action of the 4th Maha Regiment but on the chain of command behind the decision. Observers point out that scapegoating troops or lower-ranking officials will not address the root of the issue. If indeed such an order was passed, the responsibility lies with the highest authority that sanctioned it—not those who executed it.
Beyond the logistical inconvenience, journalists argue that the act of erasing or concealing the name “Manipur” strikes at the heart of state identity and pride. The forced removal of the label from a state-owned bus raises troubling questions about the political and security dynamics at play in the Ukhrul region.
Following internal deliberations, AMWJU and EGM decided to uphold their earlier resolution to boycott all government programmes until accountability is established. A partial relaxation has been extended only for covering the Shirui Lily Festival, excluding events attended by government authorities.
As tensions simmer, all eyes are now on the promised enquiry. The credibility of the investigation—and by extension, the integrity of the Governor’s office and state administration—rests on whether it delivers transparent answers to a question echoing across the state: Who ordered the concealment of “Manipur,” and why?
