Y Khemchand Singh on May 22 appealed to people in Manipur to avoid bandhs and blockades, saying such protests create additional hardship for ordinary citizens, especially daily wage earners already affected by the ongoing unrest in the state. The chief minister made the appeal while inaugurating an RCC bridge over the Nambul River at Akham Mayai Leikai in Imphal West district. During his address, Singh urged people to resolve their grievances through dialogue and mutual understanding rather than disruptive protests. “Enforcing bandhs and blockades out of anger toward the government only leads to hardship, particularly for the daily wage earners,” Singh said. He said prolonged shutdowns affect economic activities across the state and make life difficult for people dependent on daily income for survival. According to him, discussions and peaceful engagement remain the best way to address public concerns. Referring to his recent visits to violence-affected Jiribam district, the chief minister said he had travelled there twice — once by helicopter and later by road — to assess the situation and interact directly with local communities.
During the visits, Singh said he met members of different communities, including Kuki, Paite, Hmar and Meitei groups. “All are having cordial relations,” he said, adding that people at the grassroots level had shown willingness to maintain peace and coexistence despite the difficult situation. The chief minister also spoke about the bomb attack at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district in April, where two children lost their lives. He said the incident deeply affected people across the state and also triggered economic disruptions because of subsequent shutdowns and bandhs. “The incident caused disruptions to the economy of the state due to shutdowns and bandhs,” Singh said. He appealed to people not to allow anger or frustration against the government to turn into actions that affect normal public life and economic activities.
Later, in a social media post, Singh highlighted the importance of the newly inaugurated bridge in the Lamsang Assembly Constituency. He said the infrastructure project would improve connectivity, support local trade and make transportation easier for residents in the area.
