IMPHAL, June 26: The Senior Citizen for Society has strongly appealed to the civil society organisations, student bodies and other organisations against imposing bandhs, economic blockades and counter blockades in the State to press for their demands.
This was stated by SCS secretary Mani Khuman during a press conference held today at the Manipur Press Club.
Professor L Sadananda, secretary SCS who also attended the press meet appealed to the government to take up action to stop the frequent bandh and blockade for once and for all.
If the state government fails to do so the Senior Citizen for Society will take up the action by filing a case against such illegal step.
Mani said such bandhs and blockades only cause hardships for the people and are disruptive in nature.
Prices of essential commodities sky-rocket during such agitations, he said observing that even the Supreme Court has stated that imposing bandhs and economic blockades or counter blockades are illegal and violates the right to live and life of the people.
Organisations can take more democratic form of agitation or legal step against the government instead of imposing bandhs and blockades, he asserted.
On the other hand, the State government is not enforcing the law of the land and the Centre continue to remain as mute spectators against the various organisations/ groups who are taking the law into their own hands, he lamented.
This shows the government`™s lack of seriousness and callousness towards the plights of the common people, Mani continued.
Professor L Sadananda, secretary SCS said blockade impinges on Article 21 of the Constitution of India which guarantees its citizen the protection of life and personal liberty.
At the same time, the current blockade has curtailed the rights of the people of Manipur to move freely throughout the territory of India guaranteed under Article 19 (d) of the Constitution of India, he asserted.
In 2011, economic blockade and counter blockades were imposed by Kuki and Naga organisations for a prolonged 121 days strangulating the State`™s economy, he said.
`Enough is enough, we cannot allow any group to hold the people of the State in ransom for whatever their rightful or imaginary demands may be,` Sadananda asserted.
`We will support the rightful demands of any group but cannot support any group resorting to inhuman, antidemocratic, anti people and unconstitutional means for forsaking the fundamental rights of the people`™ he contiued.
He also said that any group imposing economic blockades should be made to pay the penalty for the hardships caused to innocent people.
The SCS also strongly condemned the barbaric act of a group of volunteer belonging to Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) for ransacking the shops belonging to Mao Nagas and also for beating up the president of one of the Mao organisation for inquiring the incident.
Mani Khuman also said that neighbors are meant to love one another and live peacefully with mutual understanding.
He further asserted that the government of the state, Nagaland government and also the Central government should intervene and discussed the issue face to face at the earliest as it is the matter of life and death of many.