Imphal: While Manipur prepares for its 75th Republic Day celebrations under tight security, tensions simmer as another underground outfit, the National Revolutionary Front of Manipur (NRFM), joins the chorus of boycott calls.
The NRFM announced a 12-hour statewide bandh starting 5 am on January 26, terming Republic Day a “Repressive Day” for the state.
Information and Publicity Secretary Sanajaoba Meitei, in a statement, declared, “India’s celebration of January 26 has no meaning to the people of Manipur but is a day of repression for its struggling people.”
This adds to the existing unrest in the state, already grappling with ongoing ethnic violence. Following suit, multiple student bodies and civil society organizations have announced their decision to forgo the official celebrations.
Meanwhile, amidst the discord, the Manipur government conducted a full-dress rehearsal on Thursday.
Twenty-six uniformed contingents marched through Imphal’s streets, led by Commanding Officer Kshetrimayum Ravikumar of the First Manipur Rifles.