MANPAC re-launches agitation against CAB; Khwairamband Keithel ladies stage anti- CAB protest
18 hours bandh to begin from midnight today
Source: IT News

Imphal, November 18 2019: Manipur People Against Citizenship Bill (MANPAC) has re-launched its agitation against the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) today.

Ahead of the 18 hours bandh called by the organization Vendor ladies of the Khwairanband Keithel today shut their stalls and staged protest in-between the two Khwairamband Keithel market building blocking the road leading to Thangal Bazar today afternoon.

Convenor of the North East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP), Lancha Ningthouja, speaking to reporters at Khwairamband Keithel at the sideline of the protest said that the protest by the vendor ladies of Khwairamband Keithel is the beginning of the agitation that has been resolved by the NEFIP to launch agitation across the North East states.

Lancha Ningthouja : Convenor of North East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP)

NEFIP a joint body of organizations against the CAB comprising of over 18 different organizations from the seven North East states including Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura , Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Lancha further said that after today's protest, 18 hours total shut down will begin from midnight today and in the later stage various form of democratic protest will follow up until the contentious CAB has been withdrawn.

Lancha further said that On August 9, 2019, a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister had been submitted through the Head of the States followed by another submission of the same to the Chief Minister of the region on October 3, 2019 appraising therein the possible devastative effects it may cause, if the CAB has been enacted to the entire North East region.

During the time the civil society organizations numbering around 250 had been assured of a pre legislative consultation with all stakeholders to insert clauses to ensure that the North eastern states will not be affected by the passing of the Bill.

However, instead of pre-legislative consultation and other assurance, the Government of India once again tried to introduce the CAB 2019, without consulting the people of the North East states.

" NEFIP is affirmed of the fact that accepting the legalization of CAB and submitting to Genocidal Act is suicidal and will lead total extinction of the Indigenous population of the entire North East and the NEFIP will go on with its agenda until the CAB is withdrawn", Lancha said.

Mayanglambam Ongbi RK Radhesana, President of the Kwairamband Nupi Keithel Nupi Semgat Sagatpa, while talking to reporters said that we have been staging various form of agitation demanding the disclosure of the Frame Work agreement.

People are crossing the limit to the silence of the government.

When the people are agitating for the disclosure of the FA the government is again all set to pass the CAB.

Radhesana said that various protest has been staged even at New Delhi, demanding withdrawal of the CAB, however, the protest went in vain.

CAB is an instrument to abolish the indigenous people of the state.

Former president of AMUCO P Devan Sharma, Convenor of MANPAC Yumnamcha Dilip among others were also present during today's protest.

Meanwhile, the 18 hrs total shut down has been extended full support by MANPAC, Jiribam Branch.

Talking with the media person, Y Romen Singh, Convenor, MANPAC, Jiri branch said the MANPAC has called total shut down against the possibility of CAB being introduce on the winter session of the Parliament.

In which the MANPAC, Jiri branch will extend full support in their initiatives to spearhead the mass movement against the CAB.