Student protestors, led by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) students’ wing, staged a demonstration in Sawombung, Imphal East, where they set fire to effigies of the Prime Minister, union home minister, security advisor Kuldiep Singh, and retired DG of Assam Rifles PC Nair.
The protestors demanded decisive action to restore peace in Manipur. The students’ demands included an immediate halt to what they describe as India’s “proxy war against the Meitei community, an end to policies they believe aim to annihilate and wipe out the Meitei,” withdrawal of central security forces, and a cessation of divide-and-rule tactics. They emphasised the need to defend Manipur independently.
Police confiscated the effigies before the rally commenced at Biramangol College, Sawombung, Imphal East. It was further blocked at Chingarel Tejpur.
Upon returning, some students displayed and set fire to more effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, security advisor to the Manipur government Kuldiep Singh, and former DG Assam Rifles PC Nair.
S Priyanka Devi, a student protester, told the media that the government has been neglecting the plight of Manipuris who have endured the crisis for over 16 months. She urged the central government to address the concerns of the people of Manipur.
She said that instead of working to restore peace, the government has decided to close all educational institutions. The students are calling for both the central and state governments to take action to halt the escalating violence by any means necessary.
The government and central forces have never intervened on the various rallies being held in Kuki-dominated hill districts, she said.
On the contrary, rallies in the Imphal Valley have been constantly disrupted by both state and central forces, she alleged. Priyanka called for equal treatment of all protesters, regardless of their locations.
A similar protest was also demonstrated near Standard College, Kongba, Imphal East.
