Our Correspondent
Imphal, Sep. 28 (EMN): The 48 hours bandh jointly called by six students’ bodies of the state of Manipur which started from Sep. 26 midnight continue to affect normal life in Imphal. The roads on the second day wear a deserted look after public transport services have been suspended despite directive from the authorities concerned to maintain transport operations.
Though shops, private offices, educational institutions, markets and business establishments in Imphal remained closed, few women vegetable vendors were seen in the main Imphal market during the bandh. The state secretariat, DC offices and some departments were open and employees reported for duty as government directed the employees to ensure attendance in the offices. Some Petrol outlets were also open under security cover, according to officials. To prevent unwanted incidents during the bandh, necessary security measures have been taken up at many strategic locations. But the bandh had no impact in most of the hill district headquarters.
Meanwhile, it was reported that a passenger auto-rickshaw was allegedly torched by suspected bandh supporters at Keishampat area in Imphal this afternoon. However, the residents and security personnel deployed at the nearby location doused the vehicle.
The All Manipur Students’ Union, Manipuri Students Federation, Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur, Kangleipak Students Association, Students’ Union of Kangleipak and Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Sinpanglup, jointly called the bandh demanding unconditional and immediate release of all the arrested students and teachers of Manipur University besides demanding immediate withdrawal of the security forces from University campus. They also denounced the police action at the boy’s hostels of the varsity in the intervening night of Sep. 20 and 21.
Manipur based Women Action for Development (WAD) has appealed to the governor, chief minister and council of ministers of Manipur to take immediate and necessary actions to ensure restore normalcy at Manipur University, save and protect our future generation besides removing security forces from varsity campus.
Expressing concern over the five-day old relay hunger strike by the girl students staying in the university hostels, Secretary Sobita Mangsatabam of WAD said “as a women organization working for the cause of women and children for the rights and justice, we take it very serious and concerned about the incident.”
