Protesters Clash With Police at Manipur's Sangai Festival: Tensions Rise Amid Calls for Boycott

Security forces quickly intervened to prevent protesters from entering the Sangai Festival venue.

Imphal:

Tensions flared in Imphal, Manipur's capital, on Thursday when police deployed tear gas against demonstrators attempting to disrupt the Sangai Festival 2025. A group mobilized by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) was protesting at the main venue, calling for a boycott of the government-sponsored event.

Protesters who tried to force their way into the festival site at Hapta Kangjeibung chanted slogans including "We boycott Sangai Festival" and "Displaced lives matter."

Security personnel responded promptly, using tear gas to disperse the crowd and successfully prevented them from breaching the festival grounds.

Manipur, under President's Rule since February this year, is experiencing another confrontation between Governor A.K. Bhalla's administration and civil society organizations over the state's flagship festival. The Sangai Festival is scheduled to begin on November 21.

A leading Meitei civil society group has called on Manipur residents to demonstrate against the upcoming Sangai Festival, which is viewed as an effort to restore a sense of normalcy in the conflict-affected state. A dawn-to-dusk bandh is currently being observed throughout the valley region.

Various civil society organizations have been encouraging public support for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) who are boycotting the festival.

Meanwhile, the Governor-led government has urged citizens to support the event.

The Sangai Festival, an annual cultural celebration organized by Manipur's tourism department, runs from November 21 to 30 and aims to promote tourism in the state.