MANIPUR: INDEFINITE BANDH HITS VEHICULAR MOVEMENT

8 July 2018:

Going ahead with its indefinite State-wide bandh, a number of tribal student organizations including Thadou Student’s Association TSA, Rongmei Naga Syudents' Organisation, North East Idia RSO-NEI, Liangmei Naga Katimai Ruangdi LNKR-AMN and S SPP-GHQ dealt a big blow to the bandh free call given by the BJP led Government on the first day of its agitation.

On National Highway- 2 along Imphal-Dimapur road, the bandh was enforced by Thadou Students' Organization, Sadar Hills and Rongmei Naga Students' Organisation which affected the movement of Inter-State and State passenger buses. The indefinite bandh also affected normal lives in many hill districts including Tengnoupal. Business establishments remained shut at Kanglatongbi, Motbung and Sapormeina from 6 am today while at Kangpokpi DHQs closure of business establishment began at around 1 pm.

Local traffic movement was also partially affected by the bandh at Kanglatongbi suspected bandh volunteers were seen sending back inter-State passengers buses from Kanglatongbi bazar while suspected TSA bandh volunteers were seen burning tyres at Gamgiphai, Motbung, between Leikop and Sapormeina, Keithelmanbi and Kangpokpi DHQs.

Speaking to media persons at Kangpokpi DHQs, Thangtinlen Haokip, General secretary, TSA Sadar Hills said "we are compelled to go ahead with the indefinite Statewide bandh as the State Government has failed to fulfil its promises and remained indifferent to our charter of demands." He said that they will intensify the stir if the State Government continues its step motherly treatment remain deaf their demands. Recalling the demands of the student bodies, Thangtinlen Haokip said that it includes immediate issuance of notification for recruitment of lecturers for Tribal Language (MIL) subjects; incorporation of 10% weightage for B.Ed degree holders in the recruitment of lecturers as per guidelines of NCTE, 2014. It also includes incorporation of recommendation from their respective tribe-based literature society in the recruitment of lecturers for Tribal Language (MIL) subjects; immediate restoration of normalcy in Manipur University and to constitute a high level independent inquiry commission so as to solve the problems besetting Manipur University for long, he added.

The student leader further appealed the people of Manipur to understand the sentiments of the tribal students and extend support to the tribal students in the agitation to achieve its demands. He also urged the people of Kangpokpi district in particular and all other concerned to obey and respect the movement of the tribal student bodies. Till the time of filing this report, there are no reports of any unwanted incident in Kangpokpi district while there is also no report of any vehicles stranded in connection with the Bandh.

The Idefinite Bandh also affected normal lives in many hill districts including Tengnoupal. The Bandh called amidst opposition from various tribal student organisations, saw supporters of the Bandh burning tyres and blocking Imphal-Moreh road - NH-102 affecting normal border trade at Moreh. However, there have been no reports of violence and damage during the first day of the Bandh.