CHANDEL, September 16: Following assurance from ADC authorities concerned for talks on September 17 with the agitating JAC which has been demanding apology and appearance before a Anal court, the 12 hours total bandh in Chandel district imposed jointly by Committee on Protection of Tribal Rights (CoPoTR) Chandel district and Anal civil societies has been called off in between from 4 pm today.
Even though the bandh enforced from 6 am protesting against the use of Anal customary shawl as table cloth, during ADC Chairman election on September 14 at Imphal, as well as the absence of Chandel DC in the district during a mass rally held on the same day, was called off midway without any report of damages of properties, CoPoTR, on the other hand, reiterated that the boycott called against election of the so called Lhukhosei Zou as chairman of ADC Chandel will remain unchanged.
Large numbers of bandh supporters came out since early morning and blocked the Chandel Pallel road by piling logs.
Government offices in the district Mini Secretariat, shops and schools remained shut. All passenger carrying buses, sumos and DIs stayed off the road due to the bandh.
The bandh also affected normalcy in Chakpikarong Bazar and its surrounding areas under the initiative of Chakpikarong Bazar Board, ALT Chakpi Branch and Anal Naga Chiefs Association Chakpikarong. Due to the bandh supporters blocking the road at Toupokpi village, all vehicles remained along Chakpikarong-Imphal, Sugnu and Chandel section of the road.
Talking to newspersons today, chairman Victor Kohring informed that concerned ADC authorities have assured the committee for talks in the joint court of the Anals on September 17.
He said that further course of action will decided after the talks.
Meanwhile, Chandel DC Robert Singh Kshetrimayum has clarified that he has nothing to do with the use of Anal customary shawl as table cloth during the ADC Chandel Chairman election.
The DC further clarified that he has no knowledge about the importance of the customary shawl nor no one from the district, who had attended customary function of Anal has told him about the traditional value and importance of the shawl.
He also condemned the use of the customary shawl as table cloth which has hurt sentiment of Anal community.