Govt urged to say no to blockade
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 10 2015:
After getting an interim order from the Manipur High Court against bandh and blockade, veteran sports personality RK Joysana Singh today urged both the Centre and State Government to take firm decisions of not considering demands of individuals and organisations using bandh and blockade as tools.
"I strongly urge both the Centre and Manipur Government to take firm stands of not considering demands of organisations or individuals who use bandh or blockade as a weapon to press for their demands," Joysana Singh demanded.
Joysana, 63, had filed a public interest litigation against a ten day long blockade called by United Naga Council (UNC) from'Novem-ber 2 midnight.
A double bench of Manipur High Court comprising of Chief Justice LK Mohapatra and Justice N Kotiswar Singh had passed an interim order on Wednesday directing the State and Central Governments to provide security for free movement of trucks during the UNC blockade.
The UNC had suspended the blockade a day after the High Court passed the interim order explaining that they have been convinced by the move of the Centre.
Union Home Ministry, State Government, the army, Assam Rifles and All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) are among ten respondents listed in the case.
In his petition Joysana Singh charged that the blockade called by UNC is unconstitutional and illegal.
Besides a directive to the government to prevent imposition of bandh and blockade, the petitioner prayed for directives to the Government authorities to ban UNC, to pass shoot at sight orders against anyone calling bandh or blockade and also prevent print and electronic media from publishing announcement of these form of agitation.
W Shamjai president of All Manipur Working Journalists Union is a respondent in the case.
The High Court will take up the case further in four weeks time "I filed the PIL in the interest of economically weaker sections of the society because these sections of the society are the worst hit during bandh and blockade.
I am Moping a positive outcome from my petition," Joysana Singh said.
Joysana also made a fervent appeal to all the organisations in both the hills and plain to abstain from calling bandh and blockade that will disrupt supply of essential commodities and rob livelihood of common men, particularly those living by hand to mouth people.
Stating that he would pursue the case till its logical conclusion, Joysana said he had decided to file the petition after seeing sufferings and hardships faced by the common people.
He also appealed to the media not to publish announcement of such forms of agitation.