Imphal, July 28: After taking the sentiments of the people into consideration and minutely assessing the law and order situation, the State Government today gave the go ahead signal to the mass rally called by 32 organizations to demand the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from the State tomorrow.

The decision to this effect was taken after a marathon meeting convened straight after the arrival of Chief Minister O Ibobi from New Delhi today.

A reliable source informed The Sangai Express that the rally will start from THAU ground at 10 am after passing through Chingmeirong Khongnang Ani Karak and will proceed towards Lamlong crossing from where the rallyists will march towards Telipati and after crossing Pandon will converge at the Khuman Lampak main stadium where a public meeting will be held.

The whole exercise of staging the rally and the public meeting will wind up by 3 pm, said the source adding that as usual curfew will be imposed from 5 pm onwards tomorrow.

All the Cabinet Ministers as well as SPF legislators attended the meeting, said the source.

Top ranking civil and police officials also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile the Chief Minister has issued a statement appealing to the people to stick to the route charted out by the State Government in view of the prevailing law and order situation.

Appealing to the people to extend their co-operation, the Chief Minister asked the rallyists to start the rally from THAU ground at 10 am and then to proceed through Thangmeiband, Lilashing Khongnangkhong, Dingko road, Lamlong crossing and then to proceed towards Telipati and converge at Khuman Lampak main stadium.

The Chief Minister also asked all concerned to complete the exercise by 3 pm tomorrow.

The District Magistrate of Imphal East has issued a notification urging the rallyists to desist from raising communal slogans, not to carry communal placards and banners, not to shout anti-national slogans and placards and banners as well as not to carry lethal weapons like lathis, swords, knives, catapults etc.

Public address system will be allowed only at Khuman Lampak, where a public meeting is planned for the day.

The Apunba Lup has also been asked to acknowledge the conditions.

Thoubal wakes up to protest call: Normal life came to a grinding halt in Thoubal district today with sit-in-protest demonstrations and public meetings being held at various places demanding revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur and fitting punishment to AR personnel involved in the extra-judicial killing of Th Manorama.

A massive protest demonstration cum public meeting was held at Khongjom Bazar from 10 am today.

A large number of womenfolk from in and around Khongjom took part in the demonstration cum meeting organized under the aegis of Leimarel Leishem Lup, Khongjom Circle.

Various women activists and leaders of Meira Paibis� Lup who addressed the gathering on the occasion pledged to continue the ongoing struggle till the demands for removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur and punishment of guilty AR personnel are fulfilled.

The meeting also resolved to put more intense pressure on the Government for revocation of AFSPA, 1958, evacuation of Assam Rifles camp from historic Kangla Fort and for giving fitting punishment to the killers of Manorama.

The mass gathering further unanimously resolved to extend full support to the protest rally being organized by the 32 organizations spearheading the ongoing movement tomorrow.

The otherwise busy Khongjom Bazar wore a deserted look and all the shops and business establishment downed their shutters as a mark of solidarity to the ongoing public movement.

Passenger buses and other means of transports also stayed away from the road on account of the protest.

In Thoubal district�s Wangjing Bazar too, a mass sit-in-protest cum public meeting was held today.

Apart from Meira paibis and activists of MSF, AMSU and DESAM units, members of Rickshaw Drivers� Association also participated in the demonstration cum meeting held from 10 am to 4 pm.

There was no business activities at Wangjing Bazar during the demonstration.

A large contingent of State police personnel including IRB, MR and Commandos was also deployed in and around the venues of the demonstration as a precautionary measures to curb outbreak of violence.

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