Imphal, May 28 (PTI) The Manipur administration on Wednesday denied allegations that the name of the state was deliberately concealed from a state road transport bus during the recent Shirui Festival in Ukhrul, stating there was "neither any instruction nor even the remote thought" of such an action.

In a statement, the administration said the Shirui Festival held in Ukhrul attracted around 1.70 lakh visitors from across the state, thanks to the administration's foolproof security and peaceful environment ensured for the event.

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"However, one unfortunate incident on May 20 when a bus ferrying journalists to the Shirui Festival was stopped and the name of the state was reportedly covered, drawing widespread criticism," it said.

The statement added, "There had been no instructions whatsoever or even remote thought of covering the name of the state, as has been alleged. This has been amply clarified by the state government as well as by the responsible political leadership. What transpired on the ground, would be revealed after a thorough inquiry only."

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The state administration has taken the untoward incident with utmost seriousness and deeply regrets it, the statement added.

To investigate the matter, the governor has constituted an inquiry committee, comprising the commissioner (home) and secretary (IT), which has been directed to submit a report within a stipulated timeframe.

"We would like to assure all concerned that once the report is submitted and those responsible for the lapses, if any, are identified, strict action would be taken" it said, adding, "the state will also ensure that such incident does not occur in future."

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)