NESO bandh total in state
25 vehicles destroyed, 9 bandh supporters arrested
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, September 06 2012: Normal life in Manipur came to a grinding halt on Thursday in response to the dawn to dusk 'total bandh' called by Northeast Students' Organisation (NESO) in protest against 'discrimination' of NE people in other parts of India as well as to demand identification and deportation of illegal migrants.

To ensure the success of the total bandh, which was enforced in whole Northeast region, barring Assam, from 5 am to 5 pm, members and volunteers of All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), a constituent body of NESO, came out to the streets to impose road block with burning of tyres and piling woods.

The bandh was effective not only in the valley districts but also in the hill districts of the state with all shops, market places and other business establishments observing shut down.

Vehicular movements also remained suspended for the day.

However, 25 vehicles mainly passenger diesel Auto Rickshaws, which were plying in defiance of the bandh call, were damaged by bandh supporters in different parts of the state.

In connection with the incident, police arrested nine bandh supporters.

The arrested bandh supporters include Laishram Premkumar, General Secretary of AMSU; Kirankumar, Sports Secretary of DM College of Science; Thoudam Boynao, a student of DM College of Science; Heikrujam William and Thoudam Priyokumar, both students of DM College of Commerce; Ningthoujam Mani, a student of Manipur College; Haokip Samuel, a student of CC Higher Secondary School; RK Leima and Rk Ashalata.

All of them were released after the bandh.

Talking to mediapersons in connection with the total bandh, Md Abdur Haque Shah, Vice President of AMSU, exclaimed that the total bandh called by NESO was a grand success in Manipur due to the cooperation and support of various CSOs and the general public of the state and expressed gratitude to all for their untiring support on behalf of NESO.

Speaking to Hueiyen Lanpao over the phone, Thokchom Suresh, President of AMSU, who is currently in Guwahati to take part in the rally organized by NESO, informed that indigenous people of Assam and students in thousands came out to participate in the public rally.

The rally was also attended by members of North East MP Forum and MLAs from the six North East States.

Unfortunately, to the people's dismay, no MLA from Manipur took part in the public rally.

Nonetheless, the step being taken up by the Government of Manipur to identity and deport illegal migrants was applauded by student bodies of the 6 North Eastern States since it was the first of its kind in the North East.

So, the failure of the State Government to send at least one of its Ministers or MLAs to participate in the rally was indeed unfortunate.

The government of Manipur should realize that no programme of the State Government could be fruitful without the support of the people, Suresh added.

Comment