Sangai Festival Returns: A Spotlight Amidst Conflict

After a two-year hiatus due to ethnic violence, the Sangai festival is set to return. Despite calls for a boycott by local organizations citing ongoing conflict and displacement, the festival aims to provide a platform for state entrepreneurs and internally displaced persons (IDPs) to showcase and sell their products.

The Sangai tourism festival is making a comeback after two years, officials announce, marking significant preparatory activities at Imphal's Hapta Kangjeibung, the main venue.

Security forces are deployed, as re-painting and stall setups are underway. However, some organizations, including COCOMI, urge a festival boycott, citing ongoing ethnic conflicts and displacement.

Despite these tensions, the festival is seen as an opportunity for showcasing local products without fees for displaced people, as assured by the Directorate of Trade, Commerce and Industries, aiming to boost local economy and morale.

(With inputs from agencies.)