Manipur President's Rule faces strong criticism from Shiv Sena and COCOMI

Imphal: The ongoing President’s Rule in Manipur, now in its second month, has come under severe criticism from both a national political party and a key regional civil society organization.

The Manipur unit of Shiv Sena and the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) have voiced strong dissatisfaction over what they describe as the central government's failure to restore peace and normalcy in the state.

Shiv Sena Manipur state president M. Tombi denounced the President’s Rule as “toothless” and “sightless,” accusing the administration of inaction and failing to make meaningful progress in ending the ongoing ethnic unrest. Tombi criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s free movement initiative for the Meitei community, claiming it has not yielded results. He further alleged that Kuki militants have defied the Governor’s repeated appeals to surrender arms, calling it a direct challenge to the Governor’s authority.

He also pointed to recent incidents such as the Kuki-Zo community’s strong opposition to a Supreme Court judge’s visit to Churachandpur and the reported physical assault on the Superintendent of Police in Kangpokpi, stating that no action has been taken in response to these violations.

Tombi also criticized the failure of the state’s MLAs to form a popular government, despite the BJP holding a majority in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, describing it as a betrayal of democratic principles and the people's trust.

In a parallel statement, COCOMI convenor Khuraijam Athouba accused the central government of spreading misinformation about the Manipur crisis, which is approaching its second year. He emphasized the continuing plight of people living in the foothill regions, many of whom remain unable to access their farmland, thereby being denied their basic rights and livelihood.

Athouba strongly refuted claims by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the crisis is over, asserting that despite a reduction in gunfire, the situation remains tense and unresolved. “The silence of guns does not mean peace has returned,” he stated, demanding concrete action from the Centre to genuinely begin the healing process in the conflict-ridden state.

Both Shiv Sena and COCOMI have called for urgent and sincere intervention from the central authorities to restore order and address the root causes of the ethnic conflict in Manipur.