IMPHAL, February 13 (Newmai News Network): The non Congress and non BJP political parties in Manipur today joined hands to stage a rally in and around Imphal city as a move to denounce the series of racial attacks and rapes of the north east people in the national capital Delhi.
The rally which witnessed a participation of hundreds of workers from CPI, Manipur State Council, CPI (M), Manipur Peoples’ Party (MPP), JD (U) and Trinamool Congress party commenced at Shamu Makhong located in the heart of Imphal city at around 1 pm and marched towards Thangal Bazar, crossing Kali Bari bridge and Nagamapal which concluded at the starting point, Shamu Makhong.
Various slogans to stop racial discrimination against north easterners were shouted during the rally and also demanded immediate action against the culprits involved in the crimes.
M. Tombi, president of the Manipur JD (U), who took a main role in organizing the rally said that the silence of the government regarding the recent cases of rape of a fourteen year old girl or the assaults upon the students of the north east by the mainland Indians in Delhi will only add fuel to people’s anger. Instead, the central and state government should take the matter very seriously and try to pass an anti racial law for the protection of the North East people which will be the end of all miseries.
Speaking to the media, a member of the non Congress and BJP core committee political parties said that the protest rally has been organized to pressure the central and state governments to frame an adequate policy which can safeguard the north easterners staying in the mainland India.
Meanwhile, the Manipuri Association North East India (MANEI) will urge the Government of India to make an anti racial discrimination law, said president of the association P. Sonamani Singh while addressing the media at Manipur Press Club here today.
The president of the association maintained that in order to check the wave of racist attacks on the North Eastern people in the national capital, it will soon meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, lawmakers and other Central leaders to seek for equal treatment of the North Easterners.
Demanding the immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the series of assaults on the North Easterners, the association has further said that such acts of torture, assaults, harassment, rape and killings of the North East people in the capital are not the first cases witnessed. But such crimes have been a burning issue for many years from the past. In spite of all the eventualities faced by the people of the North East, the central government and North East MPs have managed to remain silent spectators without taking up any safety measures.
P. Sonamani further told that the association will join the agitation organised by the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) at Guwahati against the rise of racial discrimination in the national capital tomorrow which is scheduled from 11 am till 2 pm in the evening in front of Raj Bhavan.
Officials of MANEI including advisor, Y. Mohendro, advisor, general secretary, Rk Rajendro, vice president, Sh. Nabachandra Volcano, and M. Nabachandra, president, Manipur State Unit also attended the meeting.