The Manipur Congress has condemned the airlifting of Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla from Imphal International Airport to Raj Bhavan, labeling it a significant failure of the Indian government’s administration in the region. During a press conference held at Congress Bhavan in observance of the 61st death anniversary of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh raised questions about the necessity of using a helicopter for a distance of merely 7 kilometers.
“This is not a hilly or difficult terrain. If the governor cannot travel 7 kilometers by road from the airport to Raj Bhavan, it reflects a complete failure of the Government of India’s rule in Manipur,” Ibobi stated.
On May 27, Governor Bhalla was airlifted from Imphal International Airport to Kangla and then to Raj Bhavan instead of opting for a road journey. This airlift occurred due to large groups of protesters, organized under the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), gathering along the route from the airport.
Protesters started assembling along the roadside around 11 am, intending to stage a peaceful demonstration as the governor was expected to arrive at approximately 1:30 pm. However, despite a heavy presence of both state and central security forces, the protesters were unable to see the governor, who departed by helicopter around 3 pm.
As the helicopter took off, some protesters moved towards the Kangla western gate, where they anticipated the helicopter would land, but their protest was obstructed.
The unrest was ignited by an incident on May 20 at Gwaltabi, where central forces from the 4 Mahar Regiment reportedly ordered the removal of “Manipur State” signage from a transport bus carrying journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival. Ibobi demanded a public apology from those accountable for that order.
Addressing questions regarding the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) failure to establish a government in the state, Ibobi remarked, “There is a BJP government at the Centre, and the governor is the competent authority. If BJP MLAs unite and stake a claim, the governor cannot deny it.” He attributed the ongoing absence of an elected government to internal divisions within the party.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/manipur/video/manipur-congress-slams-governors-airlift-calls-it-failure-of-central-governance-1219858-2025-05-27?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2025-05-27 12:03:00
