The Manipur government on Wednesday declined permission for a public meeting to mark the launch of the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Imphal on January 14 because of the prevailing law and order situation in the northeastern state.

However, the state government has no objection to the “flagging-off of the Yatra with limited number of participants”, a move which the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) termed as “very unfortunate as the Yatra is non-political”.

The Nyay Yatra will be led by Rahul Gandhi, who visited the state in June last year to interact with those affected by the ongoing conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos. The conflict, which started on May 3 last year, has claimed at least 199 lives and displaced over 67,000 people till now.

However, the AICC and MPCC leaders asserted that they would go ahead with the launch of the yatra. N. Bupenda Meitei, AICC member, posted on X that though the chief minister “refused to allow us” the use of the Hapta Kangjeibung Palace Compound in Imphal East for the launch of the Nyay Yatra in Manipur, “we will still launch & start the Yatra with the people of Manipur on 14th January, 2024, in Manipur”.

Manipur PCC president and MLA K. Meghachandra broke the news of the development soon after a meeting between chief minister N. Biren Singh and a PCC delegation at the chief minister’s official residence in Imphal around noon.

Meghachandra said they had submitted an application on January 2 to get permission for the venue in Imphal East and they met the chief minister on Wednesday to know the status of their application.

“The honourable chief minister has declined permission for the venue (Palace Compound). He said he would not give any public land in Manipur. It is very unfortunate. Public land is for public purpose.... It is a violation of our rights, rights of our people. This Yatra is not political even if we are a political party,” Meghachandra said.

Alternative venue

The Congress has decided to shift the venue of the launch meeting of the Yatra to a private plot of land close to the Khongjom War Memorial in Thoubal district, about 35km from the Palace Compound in Imphal East district.

“It (the new venue) has its significance because it is close to the war memorial commemorating the martyrs of the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri War. The memorial serves as a symbol of patriotism and the fighting spirit of our people. We would like Rahulji to pay homage at the memorial before launching the Yatra meeting at a private land close to the memorial. We are keeping the launch meeting small,” MPCC working president K. Devabrata Singh told The Telegraph on Wednesday evening.

Singh added: “The chief minister said they have no objection to the Yatra but we should not have the public meeting because of the law and order situation.”

“We responded by saying the Yatra is for peace and harmony in the state and we be allowed to have the public meeting, a smaller version maybe. But the chief minister stood his ground that we should not have a public meeting.... He said he would issue permission for the Yatra, not the public meeting,” Singh said.

He observed that the denial of permission citing the law and order situation was not justified because the chief minister himself had claimed that “normalcy has returned”.

“Why is he then denying the public meeting? We told him we are not going to speak anything against either the government or the conflict. We are bringing peace and harmony for everybody and we are inviting a reconciliation of the two conflicting parties. We are not even using the Congress flag. We are using the national flag. But he (the chief minister) stood his ground,” Singh said.

Home dept stand

The state home department on Wednesday replied to the Imphal East deputy commissioner’s letter regarding the Congress’s application for the use of a public sound system for the meeting at the Palace Compound from 10am to 4pm on January 14 as part of the Nyay Yatra by saying that “report of concerned agencies mentioned that the matter is sensitive and needs special attention at this juncture specially in the context of the prevailing law and order situation”.

The home department also said January 14 coincides with the state function for the commemoration of Armed Forces Veterans’ Day at 1st MR Banquet Hall where the chief minister would be the chief guest and senior ministers, MLAs, civil and security officials would be present.

“Therefore, District Magistrate, Imphal East, may allow the flagging off of the Yatra with limited number of participants. The number and names of the participants may be taken in advance, and all precautionary measures be taken. Any assistance required in controlling any untoward incidents may be sought from state authorities in this regard,” the official communique issued to the DC by the joint secretary (home), Dr M.V. Singh, stated.