IMPHAL, November 28 : Lawyers in the state under the aegis of the All Manipur Bar Association (AMBA) on Monday staged a silent protest rally to appeal against the indefinite economic blockade in Manipur since November 1 midnight this year which had created artificial scarcity of essential commodities across the state.
On the other hand, there were reports of staging sit in demonstration against the arrest of United Naga Council’s President Gaidon Kamei and Information Secretary Sankhui Stephen in Senapati and Tamenglong district headquarters on Monday.
In Tamenglong, after the protest at market shed, the protesters submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India through the Deputy Commissioner of Tamenglong for immediate intervention on the reported move to create Sadar Hill and Jiribam into full-fledged districts and to release UNC President and Information secretary unconditionally.
In another development, the national wide bandh by the opposition parties against the centre’s demonetisation move was also partially reflected in Manipur forcing the sudden closure of few schools while leaders of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee stages a sit in demonstration in front of their Imphal office.
Meanwhile, angry public vanadalised two branches of State Bank of India (SBI) located at Manipur University campus at Canchipur and Leimakhong Army headquarters gate in Manipur on Monday in connection with shortage of cash in their respective offices. The unwanted incident at SBI Manipur University campus erupted around 10:30 a.m. following report that distribution of cash will automatically be stopped once the cash in stock is exhausted in case every individual in the queues for hours is given Rs 4000 each instead of Rs 2000 each.
This happened after some customers of the bank came to withdraw their money from their accounts, according to the Bank officials. SBI Leimakhong branch also has similar story. Interestingly, most of the ATMs also remained closed on Monday. Even after report of arrival Rs 30 crores with new Rs 500 notes, the problems on the lack of smaller denomination is still on. It is said that the new Rs 500 notes were distributed to different branches in the state.
