Manipur: Militant groups direct Sangai Festival participants to issue public apology by Dec 10

Imphal: A coalition of five proscribed underground outfits in Manipur, G-5, on Wednesday issued directives to all individuals and organisations that participated in the recently concluded Sangai Festival 2025, asking them to issue a public apology before December 10, 2025.

According to a joint statement issued by the five outfits, the festival amounted to a betrayal of the suffering of internally displaced persons sheltering in different relief camps due to the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023.

The statement, jointly signed by the leaders of the outlawed Kangleipak Communist Party, Kanglei Yawol Kanba Lup, People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) (Progressive), and the United National Liberation Front (Koireng group), alleged that while the “Meitei people cannot travel freely along the national highways and are being confined to the Imphal valley”, festive events were being organised.

The G-5 further warned all artists, business enterprises, professionals, and stall owners who took part in the festival to issue a public apology by December 10.

The groups also announced a one-year ban, beginning December 5, on any performance by four major Sumang Leela/drama troupes that participated in the event, for going against the wishes of the people.

Additionally, the government released ?15 crore for the Sangai Festival, which was held from November 21 to December 30 across 14 different venues in the state, amid protests by displaced persons demanding to be allowed to return to their homes.