Imphal: A scuffle between the Manipur police and workers of the ten opposition alliance took place during a peaceful rally in Imphal on Friday.
The workers of the ten political parties – AAP, AIFB, AITC, CPI, CPI(M), INC, JD(U), NCP, RSP and SS(UBT) took to the streets from the Congress Bhavan and were marching towards the Raj Bhavan when the scuffle between the two broke out after the police tried to stop them near Kangla gate.
However, no injuries were reported from the incident, since soon after the short face-off, the team of the 10 political parties were let off to proceed with the rally on the condition of a few leaders of the parties marching towards the governor’s official residence.
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The remaining workers of the 10 political parties were stopped midway and did not join the leaders, to avoid further escalation and to maintain peace.
Soon after reaching the Raj Bhavan gate, the team submitted a memorandum to governor Uikey, urging the restoration of peace and tranquillity in the state and to start negotiations between the two communities for peace immediately.
Former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh handed over the memorandum which was received by the under-secretary of the Raj Bhavan on behalf of the governor. Governor Uikey was said to be away visiting the relief camps and meeting the displaced persons of the conflict.
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Speaking to media persons after the rally, former speaker and Congress leader I Hemochandra Singh informed that the peaceful protest cum demonstration was staged by like-minded ten political parties to express deep anguish and hurt at the present state government and the centre.
“Even after the crisis has already crossed the five-month mark and entering into the six months, nothing tangible has been done so far in terms of maintaining peace and law and order in the state,” said the Congress leader.
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He further said that in fact, till today, the dead bodies of the two young children have not yet been recovered and there are intermittent firings going on. People were haunted and scattered everywhere and even the media persons who were covering the issue were thrashed and beaten black and blue by the police, he said.
So today, we have come to protest that the meaning of democracy has been totally erased and does not exist in our state at the moment, said Hemochandra Singh.
“PM Modi while visiting foreign countries exposed democracy and said that India is the mother of democracy. However,in Manipur, we seem to see it as the total opposite of that,” he added.
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