{"id":9492,"date":"2026-01-31T15:20:47","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T15:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/?p=9492"},"modified":"2026-02-01T09:26:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T09:26:40","slug":"imphal-sees-massive-turnout-at-cocomi-led-save-manipur-rally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/31\/imphal-sees-massive-turnout-at-cocomi-led-save-manipur-rally\/","title":{"rendered":"Imphal Sees Massive Turnout at COCOMI-Led \u2018Save Manipur Rally\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

A massive turnout was witnessed on the streets of Imphal as thousands of people participated in the \u2018Save Manipur Rally\u2019<\/strong> led by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI)<\/strong>, highlighting widespread public anxiety over the continuing crisis in the state. The rally commenced from Kwakeithal Tiddim Ground in Imphal West, proceeded along Tiddim Road, Keishampat Junction, Waheng Leikai and Nagamapal, and concluded at THAU Ground, Thangmeiband, where a public meeting was organised.<\/p>\n

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At the meeting, participants adopted several resolutions demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki armed groups. The resolutions urged the Government of India to stop presenting the situation as a communal issue and instead ensure the protection of constitutional and fundamental rights of the people of Manipur. They also called for a well-defined policy to enable the safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes with proper security arrangements.<\/p>\n

The resolutions further demanded firm action against alleged cross-border terror activities linked to Chin-Kuki narco-terror networks, including dismantling their infrastructure and supply routes. Reopening national highways connecting Manipur with the mainland and updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) or adopting similar legal mechanisms to tackle illegal immigration were also among the demands. Safeguarding Manipur\u2019s territorial and administrative integrity, protecting constitutional rights, and establishing a transparent and accountable government at the earliest formed the core agenda.<\/p>\n

Organisers stated that the rally aimed to project the collective voice of the people and appealed to civil society organisations, student bodies and various community groups to participate in large numbers.<\/p>\n

Protesters marched with placards and raised slogans demanding the resettlement of IDPs, protection of Manipur\u2019s territorial integrity and an end to what they termed external interference worsening the conflict. Slogans such as \u201cStop proxy war,<\/strong>\u201d \u201cDo not disintegrate Manipur,\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cLong live Manipur\u201d<\/strong> echoed throughout the rally route. Participants also appealed to the Government of India to take decisive steps to restore peace and normalcy while reiterating their commitment to the unity and sovereignty of the state.<\/p>\n

Addressing the gathering, COCOMI Coordinator YK Dhiren<\/strong> said the Government of India should refrain from dividing Manipur, weakening its territorial integrity or engaging in proxy conflicts by backing narco-terrorist elements. He expressed serious concern over the prevailing conditions, stating that free movement remains highly restricted and thousands of displaced people are still unable to return to their homes. Such circumstances, he said, amount to grave human rights violations and must end immediately. Dhiren was speaking during the Manipur Kanba Khongchat organised by COCOMI.<\/p>\n

Lourembam Nganbi<\/strong>, President of the All Manipur Kanba Ima Lup, said the massive turnout reflected the extent to which people in the state have been deprived of their fundamental rights. She stated that the Manipur Kanba Khongchat was organised to reclaim those rights and collectively express opposition to misgovernance and continued exploitation. Terming the rally constitutional and democratic, she said people had gathered peacefully to make their voices heard.<\/p>\n

Earlier, COCOMI Convenor YK Dhiren stated that the rally was organised to convey the unified voice of the people on issues related to the integrity and future of Manipur. Placards carrying messages such as \u201cNo Compromise on Manipur Integrity\u201d<\/strong> were prominently displayed throughout the procession.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the protest, former COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba said the massive participation reflected growing public anger and frustration.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople of Manipur are standing firm together to send a clear message, either change this proxy war policy or allow Manipur to decide its own aspirations and future,<\/em>\u201d Athouba said.<\/p>\n

Athouba alleged that the situation was being portrayed merely as an ethnic conflict without properly acknowledging the role of the Centre. He claimed that the crisis is the result of what he described as the Government of India\u2019s prolonged \u201cproxy war policy<\/strong>\u201d in Manipur, carried out through armed groups operating under the SoO framework.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were certain false propaganda and justifications that this crisis is merely an ethnic conflict between two communities and that it has nothing to do with the Government of India<\/em>,\u201d Athouba said.<\/p>\n

He further stated that one year of President\u2019s Rule had failed to restore normalcy in the state. Alleging widespread human rights violations, Athouba said the people of Manipur have suffered continuous instability for more than two-and-a-half years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have waited and tolerated enough. The gross human rights violations in the state have kept the entire population of Manipur in a hostage-like situation for over two-and-a-half years<\/em>,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He also accused the Centre of failing to adequately address the crisis in Parliament and during the Presidential address, and alleged inaction against armed groups operating in the hill areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Government of India has even failed to acknowledge the crisis in Parliament. Its policy of empowering narco-terrorist armed groups operating in the hill areas has never been stopped, nor have any effective measures been taken<\/em>,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n

Those present on the dais included YK Dhiren, Convenor of COCOMI; Khuraijam Athouba, former Convenor of COCOMI; Prof N Joykumar, Vice-Chancellor of Khongnangthaba University; Michael Lamjathang, Secretary of Thadou Inpi Manipur; Yumnam Premananda, HOD, Law Department; Raes Ahmad Tampak, General Secretary, United Meitei Pangal Committee; and L Lanboi Kabui, Vice President of Kabui Union, among others.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, all business establishments, shops, private offices, schools and colleges remained closed during the rally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A massive turnout was witnessed on the streets of Imphal as thousands of people participated in the \u2018Save Manipur Rally\u2019 led by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), highlighting … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9493,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,33],"tags":[2396,2398,1003,2387,2385,2383,2389,1776,2390,2382,2392,1914,2386,200,2391,2395,2393,2394,1101,2397,2381,2384,2388],"class_list":["post-9492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inn","category-state","tag-chin-kuki-issue-manipur","tag-civil-society-protest-manipur","tag-cocomi","tag-cocomi-rally-imphal","tag-idps-in-manipur","tag-imphal-protest","tag-khuraijam-athouba","tag-manipur-crisis","tag-manipur-human-rights-violation","tag-manipur-kanba-khongchat","tag-manipur-peace-demand","tag-manipur-presidents-rule","tag-manipur-public-rally","tag-manipur-territorial-integrity","tag-manipur-unrest-news","tag-narco-terror-manipur","tag-national-highway-blockade-manipur","tag-nrc-demand-manipur","tag-protest-in-imphal","tag-save-manipur-movement","tag-save-manipur-rally","tag-suspension-of-operations-soo","tag-yk-dhiren-cocomi","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9492"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9497,"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9492\/revisions\/9497"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ichelnewsnetwork.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}