Sit-ins staged against liquor legalisation
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 08 2022:
In continuation of the ongoing protest against the government's decision to legalise liquor in the state; Coalition Against Drugs & Alcohol (CADA) in association with All Manipur Women Social Reformation & Development Samaj (Nupi Samaj) and Singjamei Keithel Meira Paibi staged a sit-in protest at Singjamei Keithel on Thursday.
Members of Singjamei Keithel Meira Paibi ceased work for the day and were in the process of putting up the tent when a team of Singjamei Police arrived at the scene and took away the mats and tent materials.
The protestors put pressure on the police after which the latter returned the materials and the sit-in continued.
Speaking at the sit-in, Nupi Samaj president Th Ramani iterated that alcohol heavily impacts the society, particularly women and children.
Women of the state have been protesting against sale and consumption of alcohol for over three decades through the Nisaband movement, all of which have been rendered meaningless due to the government's decision to legalise liquor.
As such, she demanded the government to withdraw its decision immediately.
During the sit-in, the protestors shouted slogans such as "No legalisation of liquor in Manipur", "Withdraw cabinet's decision", and "Save the people of Manipur from liquor".
In protest against the cabinet decision taken on September 20, CADA, Nupi Samaj, NIMPAL and Wahengbam Leikai Yumjao Lairembi Apunba Nupi Lup Development Association also staged sit-in protest at Wahengbam Leikai Yumjao Lairembi Shanglen on Wednesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the protest, Yumjao Lairembi Apunba Nupi Lup assistant secretary Wahengbam Sumitra opined that liquor prohibition is an easy task for the state government and it should be done without any delay as majority of the male folks are addicted to liquor and the liquor legalisation would only aggravate the situation.
Protestors chanted var ious slogans like 'cabinet should withdraw its decision on liquor legalisation in Manipur', 'Save the people of Manipur from liquor use,' etc.