Did the Double-Engine Government and President’s Rule Fail in Manipur?

Imphal, May 27 (NationPress) The Congress party, which has been advocating for new assembly elections in Manipur, asserted on Tuesday that the double-engine government and the President’s Rule have proven ineffective for over two years in the state.

Keisham Meghachandra Singh, the President of the Manipur Congress, stated that the double-engine governments—both at the Centre and the state level—have completely faltered in the state since the onset of ethnic conflicts more than two years ago.

The imposition of President's Rule on February 13 has also failed, he added, calling for the removal of Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who has overseen the troubled state since January 3.

Singh highlighted that the Governor was compelled to take a helicopter to travel from Imphal International Airport to Raj Bhavan, a distance of approximately 7 km by road.

An official reported that the Governor arrived in Imphal on Monday afternoon from Delhi and, due to ongoing protests, used an Army helicopter to reach Kangla Fort, which is only about 300 meters from the Raj Bhavan.

Following a 48-hour shutdown in six regions of the Imphal valley from May 21-23, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the apex body of the Meitei community, initiated their second phase of protests starting May 25, in response to the removal of the state’s name from a government bus on May 20.

On May 24, COCOMI declared a series of escalated protests, including daily demonstrations at the main entrance of the Governor’s residence.

According to officials, on Monday, protesters gathered in the Kwakeithel area on Tiddim Road and intended to march three kilometers to the Raj Bhavan but were halted by a large presence of security forces.

Nevertheless, the demonstrators, comprising women and students, formed a human chain stretching six kilometers from the Imphal International Airport to Keisampat, which is about 200 meters from the Raj Bhavan.

Similar protests continued on Tuesday.

The unrest began after a media team, en route to cover the opening ceremony of the five-day-long Shirui Lily Festival in the Ukhrul district on May 20, was allegedly forced back to Imphal when security personnel blocked their bus at Gwaltabi in the Imphal East district, reportedly instructing them to conceal the “Manipur State Transport Corporation” signage.

The Congress party has reiterated its call for fresh assembly elections in Manipur, asserting that the ground situation remains unstable, even with the declaration of President’s Rule on February 13, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh on February 9.

Saptagiri Ulaka, Congress’ in-charge for Manipur, emphasized that it has been more than two years since the ethnic violence first erupted.

“This has been one of India’s significant humanitarian crises. There are concerns that this ethnic violence feels orchestrated, and now two years have elapsed,” he remarked.