Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 17:
Several social, voluntary and women bodies continue to slam the present State Government for its reluctance to pin and fix guilty Assam Rifles personnel involved in the arrest and killing Thangjam Manorama Devi of Bamon Kampu even as some other organisations demanded police case instead of judicial probe.
The Zeliangrong United Clubs' Association, Manipur valley deploring the reluctant approach of the State Govt towards the delicate issue gripping Manipur charged that State authorities lack courage to pull up the Indian Army even though its personnel have committed serious crime by killing Manorama Devi after issuing arrest memo.
The continued silence of the Government despite the womenfolk protesting nude at the Kangla gate of Assam Rifles to air their long depression and agony at the repeated atrocities committed by security forces would certainly provoke the people to launch more severe form of agitation is case the State and Central Govt take the matter lightly.
Inaction of State authorities to fix charge and prosecute the guilty AR men would only prompt other law enforcing agencies to perpetrate upon the dignity of women folk and encourage more extra-judicial killing in the future, observed the Zeliangrong body.
It also pledged unstinted support to any agitation launched against security force excesses, custodial killing, fake encounter, torture and rape of women under the guise of containing insurgency movement.
Rather than order a judicial probe into the brutal killing of Th Manorama Devi that would ultimately fail to convict guilty security force personnel, Nishaband and Meira Paibi, Keisampat Thokchom Leikai has demanded that a police case be registered on the matter.
The judicial probe as announced by the Chief Minister is only an attempt to divert the attention of the agitated public in the wake of the killing after issue of arrest memo by personnel of 17 Assam Rifles, alleged the body referring to the past instances of lack of punitive action against security personnel involved in similar case.
Strongly condemning the cold blooded murder of Thangjam Manorama by personnel of 17 Assam Rifles, Manipur Loumee Marup (All India Kishan Sabha) has appealed to the State Govt to book the guilty personnel so that such actions may never be repeated in future.
In a statement, Marup flayed the the Govt for imposing indefinite curfew in the State and added that the curfew will not help in pacifying the public but will only increase the anger of the public.
Stating that the indefinite curfew has severely affected the lives of the daily wage earners, Marup urged the State Govt should .lift the curfew immediately in the interest of the general masses who are on the verge of starvation.
It may be mentioned here that Manorama was brutally murdered by Assam Rifles personnel on the intervening night of July 10 and 11 after picking her up from her residence.