The 12th edition of the Manipur Sangai Festival was inaugurated on November 21 at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal, by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla amid unprecedented opposition, protests, and a near-total boycott across the state.

This year’s festival, resuming after a two-year break, opened under heavy security deployment as several organisations, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), strongly opposed the celebration. Protesters argued that the state should not host a cultural festival when thousands remain displaced and normalcy has yet to return. As a result, the inauguration witnessed one of the lowest public turnouts in the festival’s history.

The Governor, accompanied by the First Lady, visited the festival grounds befor

See Full Page