IMPHAL, June 23: Mass protests were carried out at various places in the valley districts of Manipur on Sunday against heavy security deployment and arrest of village volunteers, who were guarding the settlement areas in the fringe of the valley districts.
Days after Union Home minister Amit Shah convened a high level meeting to review the security situation in the strife-torn Manipur, the central security forces have been deployed at various places across the valley districts in the last few days.
During a protest carried out at Thangmeiband area of Imphal West district, the protesters demanded removal of the Central forces in the general areas while alleging that their presence caused anxiety and fear among the residents.
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They also asked the reasons for deploying the central security forces in the general areas “instead of using them to flush out the armed miscreants who attacked the settlement areas in the fringes”.
The protesters further sought concrete steps to end the violence on the part of the state and central governments.
A leader of meira paibi (Ima Khunthoknganbi Meira Thangmeiband Meisnam Leikai) alleged that people of all sections in the state are suffering due to the protracted violence and ineffective governance.
Another mass rally was carried out in Lilong Chajing area of Imphal West district. The people protested against fresh deployment of the central security forces in the general areas and also arrest of village volunteers.
The rally, which began from the Regional College Lilong Chajing and proceeded along NH-2 towards Imphal with participants wanting to submit a memorandum to the chief minister was however, prevented from proceeding further from the main gate of Manipur University.
The protest was organized by Imagi Meira, AMKIL, along with other Meira Paibi organizations from across the valley districts.
A mass rally was also carried out in Moirang of Bishnupur district on Sunday calling for a concrete step to resolve the crisis instead of militarisation.
Manipur Chanura Lamjing Lup (MACHALL) organized the rally that chanted “We will determine our own future.”
A sit-in-protest staged in the Heirok area of Thoubal district also protested against the deployment of the central security forces in the general areas of the district.
The protest organized by Ningol Club and Heirok Apunba Meira Paibi also decried the arrest of village volunteers by the police. (NNN)
