Newmai News Network
Imphal: Workers of 10 opposition political parties in Manipur engaged in a brief scuffle with the police who tried to foil a rally of the parties targeting Raj Bhavan in Imphal.
No major untoward incident occurred as the police later allowed the rally participated by prominent leaders of the 10 parties to proceed and submit a memorandum to the governor.
The rally, participated by a number of members and workers of the 10 political parties – INC, AAP, AIFB, AITC, CPI, CPI(M), JD(U), NCP, RSP, SS(UBT) – kicked off from Congress Bhavan.
Former Manipur chief minister and senior Congress leader Okram Ibobi, Manipur Pradesh Congress Commitee (MPCC) president K Meghachandra, JDU vice president Dr Kh Loken, state CPI leader L Sotinkumar , CPI (M) state secretary Ksh Santa were among others who led the rally that targeted the Raj Bhavan.
At the Western Gate of Kangla fort, a strong police team tried to stop the rally from proceeding further toward the Raj Bhavan. When the rallyists tried to proceed despite the strong resistance, the scuffle broke out.
It was only after the leaders of the opposition parties held talks with the top officials of the police, the rally was allowed to proceed and submit a memorandum to the Governor.
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Talking to the reporters before submitting the memorandum to the Governor, former chief minister O Ibobi Singh while highlighting various restrictions imposed in the state since the outbreak of the violence, asked whether there is undeclared emergency in the state.
In the memorandum, the 10 political parties expressed concern when no meaningful peace initiative was in sight on the part of both the state and the central government to end the more than five months old crisis unfolding in the state.
The memorandum alleged that the Central and state governments have chosen the path of non-intervention to the crisis of clash between the ethnic groups.
Rather, they are trying to sideline the main reasons behind the crisis by taking shelter to the theory of conspiracy by outside militant organizations with intent to assault India.
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“Finding solution by correctly analyzing the cause behind the crisis requires no emphasis. It is high time for the Central and the state authorities to engage in a peace process to bring normalcy to the state,” it added.
In the memorandum, the opposition parties also expressed concern over the imposition of various prohibitory measures to prevent the citizens from exercising their fundamental rights like freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, constructive criticism to the government etc.
Both the centre and the state government are not allowing the people to express their fundamental rights, they alleged, while urging the governor to lift the restriction immediately.
The 10 political parties further drew the attention of the governor to find a lasting solution of the ongoing crisis and also to announce a relief package for the victims of the violence.
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It also demanded justice for the two missing students and those dead bodies lying at RIMS, JNIMS and Churachandpur district hospitals.