Widespread protests erupted across the Imphal Valley on Tuesday, as women demonstrators demanded an official apology from Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla over a recent incident involving the Manipur State Transport (MST) bus.
The controversy stems from the alleged removal of the word “Manipur” from an MST bus ferrying journalists to the Shirui Lily Festival in Ukhrul on May 20. Security forces reportedly ordered the removal of the state’s name from the bus’s windshield at the Gwaltabi checkpoint — an act seen by many as a direct insult to Manipur’s identity. From that day onward, tensions escalated significantly across the state, fueling widespread resentment and public outrage.
In Porompat, Imphal East, women protestors from the Khurai area marched toward the Deputy Commissioner’s office, clashing with security forces deployed to block their entry. The protestors condemned the handling of the incident as “disrespectful and insensitive,” demanding the resignation of the Chief Secretary and Security Advisor, holding them accountable for administrative failures and rising unrest.
Meanwhile, similar protests took place in other areas of the valley, including Singjamei Kakwa in Imphal West, where women formed a human chain, raised slogans, and carried placards reading “Self-determination is our birthright” and “Manipur mithatpa yaroi” (Do not obliterate Manipur). Protestors alleged that Manipur’s name was being deliberately concealed or erased, warning against attempts to marginalize the state’s identity.
