New Delhi: The Manipur government on Wednesday suspended mobile internet services in the state for the next five days to deal with the deteriorating law and order situation after tribal groups took out rallies in several districts of the state. Along with a ban on large gatherings, night curfew has also been imposed in several districts of the state.
The order comes after hundreds of people participated in a ‘tribal solidarity march’ called by a student body in all ten hill districts of the state to protest the demand for inclusion of the Meitei community in the ST category.
The All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM), which called for the march, said it was organized to protest against the move to include the “Meitei community in the ST category”.
Lawmakers from the Valley regions have earlier openly supported the demand of some Meitei outfit for granting Scheduled Tribe status to the majority community in Manipur, a dangerous community that figures in the Scheduled Tribes list.
The Meites, who account for 53 percent of the state’s population, live in the Manipur Valley, which accounts for about one-tenth of the former princely state’s land area, and claim they face hardship in the wake of “large-scale illegal immigration by Myanmarese”. have to do. Bangladeshi”.
The hilly districts that account for most of the state’s land mass, mostly inhabited by tribals – including the Nagas and Kukis – survive mostly protected from encroachment by the valley people by various laws.
Tribals from the interior hill areas came to the nearest hill district headquarters in buses and open trucks to participate in rural rallies.
In the Naga-dominated Senapati town, the district headquarters of the same name and located about 58 km from the capital Imphal, local bodies forced a complete shutdown of markets and public transport from 10 am to 1 pm in order to To ensure that maximum number of protesters participate in the rally.
Thousands of tribals, comprising about 40 per cent of the population, participated in the processions, waved placards and raised slogans opposing ST status for the Meitei community. Representatives of Senapati District Students’ Union also met the Deputy Commissioner and apprised him of their concerns.
In Churachandpur, the state’s second largest city, people defied prohibitory orders and gathered at a public ground to show their support for ATSUM and took out a rally till Tuibong peace ground, police said.
Prohibitory orders were imposed indefinitely in the town last week following violent protests against the drive to eviction of villagers from reserved forest areas. Security forces from other parts of Manipur were rushed to the town to control the situation after the vandalism at the site where Chief Minister N Biren Singh was to address an event.
Police said similar rallies were also organized in Tengnoupal, Chandel, Kangpokpi, Noney and Ukhrul where school children were also seen.
Section 144 imposed in Manipur’s Bishnupur
In view of the law and order situation in Manipur, the Bishnupur district administration on Wednesday imposed Section 144 in the entire district. The step was taken after violence was reported in Bishnupur on Wednesday. “Assembly of five or more persons, which is likely to be unlawful, and without valid license carrying sticks, stones, firearms, weapons or articles of any description capable of being used as offensive weapons, in Bishnupur District are banned in the entire jurisdiction. With immediate effect,” read the order.
Manipur | Assembly of five or more persons in the whole of the jurisdiction of Bishnupur District, which is likely to be unlawful, and without valid license carrying sticks, stones, firearms, weapons or objects of any description capable of being used as offensive weapons Yes, carry is prohibited… pic.twitter.com/17GrRlRKQk
– ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2023
This ban will be applicable till further orders. The order was imposed at 6 pm on Wednesday.