Triple bandh cripple normal life
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 15 2013: Three separate shutdowns in Manipur enforced by militant groups and another by two tribal civil organisations on Tuesday evoked near total response, paralysing normal life.

Vehicles were off the road in Imphal city and on both the National Highways that wore a deserted look due to the strikes.

Business, Government and private establish- ments including educational institutions remained close for the day.

Shops at Khwairamband Keithel downed shutters.

However, the triple strikes were by and large peaceful.

At the same time, both inter-district and inter-State passenger bus services were suspended due to the bandhs.

The CorCoM, a conglomerate of six different militant groups had imposed an 18-hour general strike in protest against the merger of Manipur with the Indian Union on this day, October 15, 1949 and another 12-hour parallel bandh was called by Maoist Communist Party of Manipur.

Kuki Inpi Saikul Gamkai (KISG) and Saikul Area Naga People's Organisation (SANPO) on the other hand, had also given a 48-hour Senapati district bandh demanding the Govt to fulfill their demands.

The triple strikes simultaneously began last midnight.

Shops under locks during the bandh on October 15

National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) and CorCoM had jointly announced the 18-hour general strike both in Manipur and Tripura which was also merged with the Indian dominion on the same date.

CorCoM comprises Revolutionary People's Front/People's Liberation Army (RPF/PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Kanglei Yaon Kanna Lup (KYKL), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and PREPAK-Progressive.

October 15 is observed as "Black Day" by CorCoM every year to register protest against the 'merger agreement,' which they say 'forceful and dishonest' .

On this day, King Budhachandra was summoned to Shillong, capital of the Indian province of Meghalaya where he signed a 'Treaty of Accession' merging the kingdom of Manipur into India.

KISG and SANPO had enforced the strike protesting against the state Government which has not considered their demands.

Their major demand is that all the villages fall under Saikul sub-division that have been made jurisdiction of Imphal East police stations should be kept out from the district and keep under Saikul.

Senapati, a hill district is inhabited by both the Naga and Kuki communities.

Our Kangpokpi correspondent adds: In response to the 48 hours Senapati district bandh called by Kuki Inpi Saikul Gamkai(KISG) and Saikul Area Naga People's Organization (SANPO), vehicles stayed off the road, business establishments downed their shutters in the district.

Vehicular movement along the NH-2 in the district was nil during the first day of the 48 hours bandh.

Except those activites exempted from the purview of the bandh, all other activities came to a standstill due to the bandh.

Not a single vehicles could be seen along the National Highway 2 that pass through the tribal dominated areas of Sadar Hills and Senapati district.

KISG President Thangkam Lupheng while speaking to this correspondent said that until the State Govt cancelled the June 2011 Home Department Notification wherein more than 120 villages of Saikul Sub-Division under Sadar Hills, Senapati district including some villages of Ukhrul district have been included in Imphal East and Thoubal respectively there will be no rest.

Meanwhile, some vehicles who violated the bandh were seized by the volunteers along Saikul-Imphal road, Thangkam Lupheng said.

T Lupheng further said that in view of the indifferent attitude of the State Govt to the genuine demand of the Joint Committee the 48 hrs Senapati District bandh has been imposed in order to draw the attention of the State Govt. While sticking firmly to its stands the KISG chief said, "No turning back" until the genuine demands are meted out adding that if the 48 hrs bandh bears no positive result then it will decide the next course of agitation sooner.