- विज्ञापन -
Imphal: Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the former Union Home Secretary, took the oath as the new Governor of Manipur in a brief ceremony at the Raj Bhavan on January 3. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Manipur High Court Chief Justice D. Krishnakumar. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, his Cabinet members, and other top officials attended the ceremony, which was organized by Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi.
Bhalla, who had arrived in Imphal on January 2, was welcomed by various dignitaries, including the Chief Minister and Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh. President Droupadi Murmu appointed Bhalla as Manipur’s Governor on December 24. Bhalla succeeds Anusuiya Uikey, whose resignation led to Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya taking additional charge of Manipur since July 31.
A 1984-batch IAS officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Bhalla has extensive experience in handling crisis situations in northeastern India, particularly during his tenure as Union Home Secretary. He was in office during the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that erupted on May 3, 2023, in Manipur. The violence, which lasted for 20 months, resulted in over 250 deaths, more than 1,000 injuries, and the displacement of over 60,000 people. Despite extensive deployment of Central security forces and the partial reimposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in some areas, violence continues in certain districts.
Several organizations, including the Meitei community’s Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), have called for the repeal of AFSPA. Chief Minister Singh has acknowledged that resolving the ongoing ethnic strife will take time due to its complexity. He also noted that the situation in Manipur is gradually improving, with most districts remaining peaceful in recent months. The state and Central forces, along with the civil administration, are working to maintain peace and provide services to the people.
