IMPHAL, July 3: Amid the ongoing unrest in Manipur, three prominent civil society organisations have firmly conveyed to the Centre that the territorial integrity of the state cannot be compromised under any circumstances. The assertion came during a dialogue held in New Delhi on June 30 with officials from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), an official confirmed on Wednesday.
A 19-member delegation comprising representatives from the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), and Federation of Civil Society (FOCS) participated in the meeting. Speaking to the media in Imphal, COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba stressed that any solution to the Manipur conflict must respect the existing territorial boundaries of the state.
The discussions with MHA officials also addressed critical humanitarian and social concerns, including the plight of internally displaced people, restrictions on free movement of citizens, and the inability of farmers to carry out agricultural activities in vulnerable peripheral areas.
“We also agreed to engage in further rounds of talks to bring a lasting and peaceful solution, but it must remain within the boundaries of our core concerns,” Athouba stated.
Athouba also informed that a follow-up meeting was held on Wednesday evening with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the state’s Director General of Police, and the Security Advisor. The discussion focused on the Gwaltabi incident, in which the state name was reportedly removed from a Manipur government bus during the Shirui festival.
“The enquiry committee’s report on the incident is currently with the Governor and we’ve been assured it will be made public soon,” he added.
