Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Imphal: Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh gathered at the Palace Auditorium in Imphal on August 14. They marked Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. The Manipur State Film Development Society hosted the event. The Government of India established this day in 2021 to honor those impacted by the 1947 division.
Bhalla described the event as a massive human tragedy fueled by displacement and sacrifice. The audience observed two minutes of silence for those lost. Attendees included Ministers Khuraijam Loken Singh and Govindas Konthoujam Singh, Chief Secretary Dr. Puneet Kumar Goel, and various students and officials.
Khemchand acknowledged the struggle of survivors who rebuilt their lives. The Department of Arts and Culture organized the screening of the documentary titled "A New Postbox: Tales from the Partition" during the session. The Chief Minister noted that the film pushes viewers to focus on the future.
Khemchand also addressed current local unrest. Internally displaced persons from the Churachandpur district border reported they can only visit their homes during daylight hours. They lack the safety to stay overnight and struggle to find work. Khemchand appealed to the state for unity: "The pain suffered by people during any crisis is fundamentally the same and appealed to the people of Manipur to promote peace, harmony and peaceful coexistence."
Updated at 15th August 2026 at 5:49pm
Manipur marked its 80th Independence Day on August 15 with a state-level ceremony at the 1st Manipur Rifles Parade Ground in Imphal. Chief Minister Khemchand hoisted the national flag and inspected a guard of honour featuring 23 contingents from police, security forces, and educational institutions. During his address, Khemchand condemned a recent attack in Langka Naga village that left two dead and two injured, promising that his administration would catch the attackers.
The celebration unfolded under the shadow of a 24-hour general strike called by a coalition of underground groups, including CorCom and the KCP-Apunba, to boycott the event. The strike shuttered shops, silenced markets, and kept public transport off the roads across the valley. Essential services like medical care and media operations remained operational, but heavy security deployments marked the day as authorities scrambled to maintain order.
Security forces had tightened their grip on the region earlier in the week. A patrolling party from the 1st Indian Reserve Battalion recovered a stash of weapons, including a carbine, a single-barrel firearm, a pistol, an improvised mortar, and radio sets, near the Sehken-Khuga Dam in Churachandpur on August 14.
Looking toward the future, the Chief Minister touted the state’s development agenda. He noted that the government has ramped up the guaranteed employment period under the rural jobs scheme from 100 to 125 days. He also highlighted state initiatives to combat drug abuse, including a 10-crore pledge campaign, and recognized several police and government officials for their service, including those involved in the negotiation of the UNLF peace agreement and the coordination of IDP relief efforts.
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