Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 22:
Thousands of students from the North East staged a rally at New Delhi today afternoon demanding the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the region.
Even as the students were headed for Parliament Street, police swung into action and arrested over 400 students including girls.
Twenty seven students were injured, four seriously, in police action, said reports received from New Delhi.
The rally kicked off from Mandi House and then proceeded towards Jantar Mantar.
Police swung into action and tried to disperse the students, when they tried to enter Parliament Street.
Members of the Manipur Students Association, Delhi (MSAD), Naga Students' Union, Delhi (NSUD), Kuki Students' Organisation, Delhi (KSOD), Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights, National Students Union of India, Students' Federation of India, People Union of Civil Liberties, and Indian Democratic Women's Association took part.
Six student representatives who approached the PM's office for an audience were bodily shunted out by the security personnel.
Outer Lok Sabha MP Mani Charenamei, Inner Lok Sabha MP Dr T Meinya and Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing and student leaders later thronged the police station demanding the release of the arrested students.
Significantly the three MPs also tried to get an appointment with the Prime Minister to let the students meet him and submit a memorandum.
The memorandum which was prepared by MSAD demanded the revocation of AFSPA, punishment of the guilty involved in the killing of Manorama as well as evacuation of Assam Rifles from Kangla.
When The Sangai Express contacted Rishang Keishing late this evening, the MP, who was still at the police station to secure the release of the students, said that people will never accept custodial killings and strongly condemned the custodial death of Th Manorama.
On the evacuation of Assam Rifles from Kangla, the veteran political leader said that during his tenure as CM, it was agreed that the AR would be shifted from Kangla and added that it is totally wrong on the part of the Centre to still keep the AR there.