IMPHAL, Jan 29: Protesting against post-poll violence at Tentha, the CPI Thoubal District Council has called for a general strike in Thoubal district on January 30 from 5 am to 5 pm.
Addressing media persons at CPI party office, Irawat Bhawan, senior party workers led by Dr M Nara said that the post-poll violence at Tentha was an act against humanism.
Nara further stated that the party had on several occasions made their apprehension felt about the conduct of MSCP candidate Paonam Brojen.
He alleged that the party workers and supporters of the CPI had been intimidated from time to time in the run up to the general elections.
Dr Nara further said that a party worker Tongjam Ratan was stopped by MSCP workers on December 25 and badly beaten up with hockey sticks while his Bolero jeep was set ablaze.
“Despite of an FIR being lodged under a non-bailable section, there has been no action taken”, he said.
Saying that the firing incident at Tentha happened was the fall out of the public displeasure over police inaction over various incidents of intimidation to CPI workers by MSCP supporters, Nara expressed surprise at the difference in police response.
He claimed that the police have not done anything about the intimidation of party workers in Wangjing but in Tentha, they started firing without any warning shots.
Calling the police action inhuman, Nara said, “Thoubal police has failed in its duty of protecting the lives and property of the people under its jurisdiction”, Nara adding that the firing was a case of crime committed by the police.
He further added that a JAC over the death of Moirangthem Ragini, 46, and injury of Moirangthem Medhabati,32, has been formed which would be submitting a memorandum to the Chief Minister.
Nara also added that the CPI would submit the party memorandum over the firing and subsequent casualties. He said that the general strike was being called to protest and condemn the incident in no uncertain terms and added that a magisterial inquiry should be announced and immediate action should be taken regarding the police involved in the firing incident.