Strike paralyses business in Imphal
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 07 2011:
Normal business in Imphal was disturbed for the day today as the 48-hour general strike of the street vendors in protest against the government drive against street vendors commenced from this morning 4 am.
Seething street vendors called the general strike when they could not get a positive reply from the government with regard to their demands.
Nine women among several street vendors who imposed the general strike in city area by disturbing normal business activities were picked up by the police.
They were, later, produced before the Imphal West Chief Judicial Magistrate, seven of them were released on bail.
The two other women were remanded to judicial custody as they refused to sign the PR bond for their release on bail.
With the two, the court has so far sent to jail 27 vendor leaders who are protesting against the government's eviction drive.
The women vendors are demanding allottment of seats at the 'temporary' market sheds which were vacated by licensed vendors who had shifted to the newly constructed multi-storey Ima Keithels.
The government, instead has provided space for them at the Lamphel shopping complex.
Some street vendors had shifted to the Lamphel shopping complex but the majority of them had refused to do so charging that the government had cheated them.
The striking unlicensed street vendors held a meeting yesterday and formed a temporary body called JAC Against The Decision of State Cabinet on Street Vendors.
They flayed the government for not giving any positive response even though they had been protesting against the cabinet decision since April 27 .
They alleged that the government had given them a commitment to provide them sheds but that it has instead converted the site into a parking lot.
"We cannot agree with the government and we will continue to protest against its decisions till our demands are fulfilled," Rita Devi, spokesperson of the JAC said.