Irate women vendors of three Ima Keithel of Khwairamband Bazar in Imphal on Wednesday protested against the demand for a separate administration by 10 state MLAs and the alleged inaction of the security personnel despite the repeated attacks carried out on civilians in peripheral areas.
In order to control the agitators who came out from different entrances of the three Ima Keithel, a large numbers of security personnel who are already deployed in the area including the state forces and CRPF personnel confronted and prevented them from coming out to the streets. The confrontation which started from 11.30 am lasted for nearly one hour.
During the protests, the vendors shouted slogans such as ‘No separate administration Manipur’; ‘Long live Manipur’; ‘Initiate action against militants under SoO’; ‘We condemned the inaction of security personnel over attack on civilians by militants,’ among others.
Speaking to the media, Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup Laishram general secretary Memma alleged that the demand for a separate administration by 10 MLAs is a yearlong pre-planned work.
Questioning the alleged silence of the remaining 50 MLAs on the ‘controversial’ demand by the 10 MLAs, she asked the remaining 50 MLAs to resign on moral grounds if they cannot initiate any legal action against those 10 legislators who attempt to break the integrity of Manipur.
“Two separate administrations in Manipur will never take place. It is against the wish of the people of Manipur,” she added.
Concerning the alleged inaction of the security personnel especially those deployed by the Central government to tackle the violence happening in the state while the militants under SoO have been carrying out numerous attacks to civilians in the peripheral area, she questioned the reason for their deployment in the state.
It is unfortunate that large numbers of Central forces are seen deployed in the Imphal City area where normalcy has restored, she said, alleging that their presence in the Imphal City has only brought apprehension to the public.
She said, “If the government aims to bring peace and tranquillity, please deploy them in the peripheral area where there is unrest and not in the city. There is no reason for them to stay in the city where there is peace.”
If the security forces are unable to protect the civilians in the peripheral areas, the government should opt handing over weapons to the Imas who are ready to fight the militants and protect the civilians, she added.
