Pertaining to the Gwaltabi incident which has attracted wide criticism, the Chief Secretary of Manipur, P.K. Singh, has clarified through a press communique that no instructions were given to remove the state name from the MST bus ferrying journalists to the Shirui Festival, and what transpired on the ground would be revealed after a thorough investigation.
It also said that the State Administration has taken the reported untoward incident with utmost seriousness and that the incident is deeply regretted. The Governor of Manipur has also constituted an Inquiry Committee comprising the Commissioner (Home) and the Secretary of IT, which is to submit its report in a time-bound manner.
The statement also assured all concerned that once the report was submitted and those responsible for the lapses, if any, were identified, strict action would be taken. The State will also ensure that such an incident does not occur in the future. The administration is committed to the integrity of the State of Manipur, and the only aim of all these efforts is to establish lasting peace in the State.
It also said the festival was organized as part of the normalcy-restoration process. The Shirui Festival at Ukhrul attracted about 170,000 people. People of all communities travelled with families from valley areas and other parts of the State, as well as from outside the State, to Ukhrul to attend the festival, as the State Administration provided proper security and a safe environment for festive activities.
