IMPHAL, Nov 22 - Seven Manipur-based student bodies today supported the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) in boycotting the Manipur Sangai Festival, which is due to commence from November 24.
COCOMI had already announced its boycott of the annual tourism festival hosted by the Manipur Government every year. Though it had been a 10-day event in the previous editions, the State Government has decided to organise the festival for seven days this year � from November 24 to 30.
Expressing its solidarity for COCOMI�s �alert campaign� in the wake of the Naga peace talks, the seven student bodies � AMSU, MSF, DESAM, KSA, AIMS, SUK and AMSO � announced their boycott of the annual tourism festival.
Addressing a press conference, leaders of the seven student bodies said that �at this crucial juncture of the State in which uncertainty prevails regarding the State�s territorial integrity, people have no reason to extend support to the Government in organising the festival�. They appealed to all sections of people of the State not to take part in any event of the festival.
