Manipur marks R-Day amid shutdowns, residents display black flags

Imphal: Manipur observed 75th Republic Day with a mixed response on Friday, as the unfurling of the tricolor coincided with an 18-hour general strike impacting normal life in the valley.

While Governor Anusuiya Uikey unfurled the National Flag and received a march-past salute at the historic Kangla Fort, Imphal, daily normal life significantly disrupted throughout the state, particularly in the valley areas. This was due to a bandh called by various underground outfits and legal organizations.

Responding to the 18-hour total shutdown called by outlawed groups including the Coordination Committee (CorCom), shops and businesses in Imphal city remained closed.

The shutdown, enforced by the outlawed Coordination Committee (CorCom) and other groups, aimed to boycott India's Republic Day celebrations.

Private vehicles stayed off the roads, and Manipur was effectively cut off from the rest of the country by road, though air travel continued as usual.

In response to appeals from six student bodies, many houses in the valley displayed black flags. These student groups, including the Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) and the Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), urged the public to boycott Republic Day celebrations, asserting that the Indian government bears responsibility for the ongoing conflict in Manipur, which has claimed over 200 lives to date.

Further amplifying the sentiment, the Disabled Development Association Manipur and the Wheelchair Basketball Association, Manipur, also called for a boycott of the celebrations.

They accused the BJP government of neglecting the violent conflict that has ravaged the state since May 3, 2023, causing widespread casualties and displacement.