Imphal, July 28 2017: Students drawn from different schools and members of Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA) today stormed the BJP office demanding that no outsiders should hold the reins of Government and that only the indigenous people can contest elections.
Several students and KSA members were injured in the subsequent police action.
At around 2 pm, a large number of students and KSA members started off from Keishampat shouting slogans like, ‘Protect the rights of the indigenous people!’, ‘No outsiders can hold the reins of the Government and contest in elections!’, ‘No right of the indigenous people can be given away to the outsiders!’, ‘Tenants cannot become landlords!’, ‘Outsiders cannot plan our Government!’, ‘Reserve the eight ACs for the indigenous people!’ etc.
The demonstrators started moving towards the BJP office.
Numerous personnel of the Imphal West police blocked the protesters and a strong tussle ensued between for a while.
Then the police lathi-charged the protesters which resulted in several casualties.
Even female protesters were not spared.
Finally, the police dispersed the crowd.
Elsewhere police fired tear gas to disperse protesters, who pelted stones and vandalised vehicles on Friday while demanding cases against their fellow students be withdrawn even as Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh invited the agitators for a meeting, reports IANS.
Students pelted police with stones, injuring one policeman.
One car was also damaged.
Urging students to eschew violence, Biren Singh said: “The Government is fully committed to protecting the interest of the indigenous peoples.
“Instead of taking to the streets, the students should come to hold talks.
Like the Congress Government, this BJP-led Government is all for the protection of the interests of the indigenous peoples.”
The Government had earlier clarified that the FIRs are not meant for arresting the students but the protesters paid it no heed.
The students have been out on the streets demanding reservation of MLA seats in at least eight constituencies where the population of the outsiders is huge.
Kangleipak Students’ Association, which is backing the movement, says that outsiders should not be permitted to contest elections in Manipur.
Students had tried to storm the Assembly, now in session, on Thursday prompting the administration to deploy heavily-armed policemen in all key areas.
Source: The Sangai Express
