(MENAFN- IANS) Imphal, Nov 30 (IANS) Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday highlighted the state government's continued focus on strengthening the state's tourism potential through strategic promotion and major infrastructure projects.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the 12th Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival-2025 at Bhagyachandra Open Air Theatre (BOAT) in Imphal, the Governor said that the 12th Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival concluded on a note of unity and cultural pride despite the challenges faced.

He noted that the 12th edition of the festival served as an important outreach platform, bringing together tourism stakeholders from across the country and abroad.

The Governor further highlighted that the festival's diverse activities, from the Sangai Film Festival to the traditional sports events, demonstrated the vibrancy of Manipuri arts, sports, and community spirit. Bhalla expressed gratitude to the various departments and the people of Manipur for their cooperation, remarking that their collective efforts ensured the smooth conduct of the festival and reaffirmed its message of unity and resilience.

The event marked the conclusion of the much-anticipated return of the state's premier cultural and tourism showcase following a two-year hiatus due to the ethnic violence which broke out on May 3, 2023. The 10-Day Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival-2025 celebrates the spirit of the state as the 'Festival of Oneness,' bringing together its rich indigenous heritage through dance, music, crafts, and traditional sports.

During the closing ceremony, artistes from the Government Dance College presented a captivating choreographic performance that conveyed a powerful message of unity and reflected the state's rich cultural heritage.

Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, Chief Security Advisor to the state government Kuldiep Singh, Advocate General, GOC 3 Corps; senior state government officials, civil, police and military officers, along with members of the public, attended the closing function.

Ahead of the 10-day Sangai Tourism Festival, inaugurated at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal on November 21, various groups of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and several Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an umbrella body of several Meitei civil society organisations, had called for a cease-work strike and appealed to the public to boycott the festival and organised a series of protests.

Several police personnel and IDPs were injured after clashes broke out on different days in Imphal East district over the festival, which the government projected as an attempt to restore normalcy in the trouble-torn state. The clashes occurred after men and women from Ekou, Dolaithabi and Yengkhuman localities, currently staying in several relief camps, tried to proceed to their original homes, but security forces stopped them from moving further.

The forces resorted to lathi-charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, resulting in injuries to several IDPs and many policemen.

A spokesperson for the IDPs said that since the state government is organising the annual Sangai Tourism Festival from November 21 to 30, it is presumed that normalcy has been restored in their areas, and therefore, they should be allowed to return home instead of continuing in relief camps.

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