IMPHAL, Jul 29: Infuriated by police crackdown on a public meeting organised by JCILPS and some other civil society organisations, the civil organisation which has been spearheading the civil movement for enforcement of ILPS or a similar mechanism has called a 24 hour public curfew with effect from this midnight.
JCILPS convenor in-charge BK Moirangcha said that they were constrained to call the public curfew in protest against the excesses committed by police while aborting a public meeting at UYO Ground Singjamei at around 11.30 am today.
Speaking to media persons at their Sega Road, Konjeng Hazari Leikai office today, BK Moirangcha said that the forcibly aborted meeting was organised to discuss how the Government of India withheld the PMP Bill 2015 and the subsequent developments.
The meeting was aimed at bringing a better understanding of the ILPS issue among the masses including the student fraternity.
But the way police aborted the meeting by unleashing brute force and vandalising the venue ought to be condemned in the strongest terms, BK Moirangcha said.
The meeting was organised after obtaining due permission from the Imphal East DC. However, the DC issued another order at the 11th hour which invalidated the permission given earlier. It was with this second order that police swooped down on the meeting venue.
JCILPS has no intention to impose bandhs/strikes but the State Government’s attitude towards the popular demand and its act of unleashing brute force upon a public meeting on the issue of ILPS has compelled the committee to impose a public curfew for 24 hours, BK Moirangcha said.
He said that water supply, power, religious activities, medical services and media would be exempted from the purview of the public curfew.
Even though the Government has declared holidays in schools without giving any reason, there would be no restriction on movement of students. BK Moirangcha reiterated that the Government order which declared former JCILPS convenor Khomdram Ratan as a wanted man should be revoked immediately.
Nonetheless, he exuded confidence that the State Government would soon fix a date for joint examination of the new Bill drafted in place of the PMP Bill together with Constitutional experts within the next couple of days.
If the Government fails to organise such a consultation meeting, the JCILPS would be compelled to announce a list of fresh protest movements.
One Bangladeshi was detected while checking non-local people at Sekmai recently but the purpose of his visit to Manipur was not clear.
Non-local people coming to the State along Imphal-Jiribam highway were also verified yesterday. Even though four persons were found in possession of voter ID cards of Jiribam AC, they could not speak Manipuri, BK Moirangcha added.
