Imphal: Police today clashed with protesters who were heading towards the chief minister’s secretariat. The protesters were demanding revocation of Manipur government’s decision of lifting the prohibition on liquor.
No major untoward incident reported in the brief clash.
A protest rally participated by a large number of women was organized by the Coalition against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA), a civil society organization actively campaigning against liquor and other intoxicants.
Also read | CADA demands govt to revoke decision on legalisation of liquor, warns of intense agitations
The cabinet of the N Biren Singh government on September 20 approved a proposal for partial lifting of the prohibition and regulating selling and brewing of liquor in the state.
While strongly condemning the government decision, the CADA and other organisations, mostly women, have been pressing the state government to withdraw the decision.
Demanding immediate withdrawal of the decision, activists of CADA along with a large number of women staged a sit-in-protest in Imphal’s Keishampat Junction.
Also read | Women’s body objects lifting of liquor prohibition
At the concluding part of the protest, they carried out the rally and headed towards the chief minister’s secretariat to submit a memorandum to the chief minister. A strong team of police blocked the slogan shouting rally on the way and when the protesters tried to carry forward despite the restriction, the clash broke out.
The police, however, took control of the situation after a brief tussle.
NNN