IMPHAL, Aug 30: The two BJP MLAs who led a civil uproar against holding the new process of recruiting Constables in Manipur Police were arrested by the police and they have been remanded to judicial custody till September 13.
The two BJP MLAs are Khumukcham Joykisan and Thongam Bishwajit.
Meanwhile the State unit of the BJP has called a Statewide bandh from 6 am till 6 pm tomorrow while the BJP Thangmeiband Mandal has called an indefinite bandh in Thangmeiband area.
A large number of BJP workers led by Joykisan and Bishwajit and candidates who appeared in the recruitment process held in 2013 reached the western gate of Manipur Police Training Centre (MPTC), Pangei at around 8.30 am today. As they raised an uproar there, a tense confrontation broke out between protesters and a strong police team led by Additional SP Manjit. A heated altercation ensued between police and the two MLAs when police started firing tear gas shells in their efforts to control the situation.
As the protesters could not breach the western gate, they marched to the main gate. There too they were met by a volley of tear gas shells. Notwithstanding the tear gas shells, the protesters including the two MLAs attempted to break open the gate.
Sometime later, police somehow managed to control the situation and they sealed the main gate. Outside the gate, the BJP MLAs, the workers and the Constable candidates of 2013 batch squatted and they were soon joined by BJP Manipur Pradesh president K Bhabananda.
Meanwhile, Imphal East SP Angam Kamei and DC M Joy arrived at the scene.
A little later, Kh Joykisan and Th Bishwajit went inside MPTC campus. In the meantime, the protesters shouted slogans like “We want justice”, “Long live BJP” etc.
At around 10.30 am, a team of Imphal East police arrested and whisked away the two BJP MLAs.
Soon after, police declared through the PA system that the DM has imposed restrictions in and around MPTC campus under CrPC 144 with immediate effect. This was followed by another volley of tear gas shells which succeeded in quelling the uproar.
Subsequently, the fresh recruitment process was held amid tight security. Ahead of today’s protest agitation, 17 BJP workers were preparing for the agitation were arrested by Imphal East police from a house of a fellow BJP worker last night.
Following the arrest of MLA Joykisan, all the shops at Thangmeiband pulled down shutters.
On the other hand, BJP Lamlai Mandal staged a protest demonstration today at Yorbung Ima Thambal Lairembi Meira Shanglen denouncing the Government’s decision to hold a fresh recruitment process after cancelling the recruitment process held in 2013.
Similar protest demonstrations were also staged at Thoubal Wangmataba, near KM Blooming School, Khangabok; Sugnu, Khangabok New Market, Heirok Part Lam Mari Phangba, Wabagai Keithel Macha and Yairipok Bazar.
Showing solidarity towards the agitating written test successful candidates of police Constable 2013 and disappointment over alleged mala-fide intention of the state Government, BJP Saitu Mandal staged a sit-in- protest today in Sadar Hills.
Around 200 members of the party took part in the protest held this noon in front of the party office at Charhajare under Saitu AC in Sadar Hills.
The BJP protesters held placards which read, “Root out Congress, root out Corruption”, “Save Manipur root out corruption”, “Stop division between hill and valley people”, “Implement NFSA at its approved rate”, etc.
