INDIA bloc in Manipur to hold sit-in-protest in Delhi tomorrow

Imphal: The 10-party INDIA bloc in Manipur will organise a sit-in-demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday, demanding immediate restoration of peace and normalcy in the northeastern state.

Congress’ Manipur President Keisham Meghachandra Singh on Sunday said that the sit-in-demonstration would be held in protest against the “inaction of the Centre and the state government”.

“The protest is organised in view of the 19-month-long ethnic strife in Manipur, with the aim of calling for urgent intervention and the restoration of peace and normalcy in the state,” he said.

A team of INDIA bloc Manipur leaders led by Congress state unit Vice President Hareshwar Goswami left for New Delhi on Sunday to participate in the protest at the national capital.

The 10-party INDIA bloc in Manipur on December 6 urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Manipur, at the earliest convenience or hold talks with political parties from the state in New Delhi.

The bloc, led by the Congress, submitted a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on December 6, requesting him to visit Manipur to resolve the 19-month-long ethnic conflict.

Meghachandra Singh, talking to the media said that the leaders of the INDIA bloc sought permission to hold a sit-in demonstration in Jantar Mantar on December 6 but the authorities declined permission.

“It is very unfortunate that we can’t practise our right to protest unprecedented turmoil… Our movement will not stop. We will continue to protest in different forms,” said Singh.

He said that due to the 19-month-long ethnic violence over one lakh people were displaced from their homes and villages while a few hundred people were killed and hundreds of others injured. The violence also destroyed huge amounts of property of the people of different communities, the Congress leader said, adding that the continued violence has also further escalated the turmoil with unprecedented pain, trauma, fear and complete helplessness among the people of Manipur.

“We urged the Prime Minister that if he does not find time to visit Manipur, he can call political leaders from the state to hear the serious situation in the state,” the state Congress chief said.

Meanwhile, around 20 civil society organisations and student bodies from Imphal Valley have announced plans to hold a rally in Delhi on December 22.

IANS