As violence and unrest continue in Manipur, COCOMI says President’s Rule has done little to restore normalcy. The group demands that elected representatives either take charge or resign to enable fresh elections.
By PC Bureau
The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a key Meitei civil society group, on Wednesday expressed strong dissatisfaction with the ongoing President’s Rule in Manipur, alleging it has failed to address the “emergency situation” gripping the state.
Addressing a press conference in Imphal, COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba said the imposition of President’s Rule had brought little improvement on the ground, and called on elected MLAs to either act responsibly or step down to make way for fresh elections.
“We never supported the idea of President’s Rule. When it was imposed, the public hoped the Centre would take swift and decisive steps to end the conflict. But what we are seeing is continued defiance from Kuki organisations and armed groups,” Athouba said.
He cited recent incidents, including objections to the reopening of highways and refusal by armed Kuki groups to surrender weapons despite appeals from the Governor, as signs that the emergency is being mishandled.
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“The expectation was that hostile zones would be sanitised and normalcy restored within two to three months, after which the administration would return to a civilian government. That hasn’t happened,” Athouba added.
Taking aim at the state’s legislators, the COCOMI convenor criticised them for failing to form a government or provide leadership during the crisis.
“If the MLAs cannot come together to elect a leader and form a government, they should resign and allow the public to choose new representatives through fresh elections. The people of Manipur deserve action, not silence,” he said.
Athouba urged the elected representatives to act according to the will of the people instead of waiting for directions from New Delhi.
Ethnic violence has plagued Manipur since May 2023, when clashes erupted between the Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki tribes in the surrounding hill districts. The conflict began after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was held to protest the Manipur High Court’s directive on the Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
So far, over 260 people have been killed in the violence. President’s Rule was imposed on February 13, 2025, following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
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