Bodies call for peaceful agitation
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 02 2023:
The Co-ordinating Committee of 24 Assembly Constituencies and MACKMAL, Union of Social Upliftment and CFC (Thongju) has appealed to all to hold peaceful sit-in protests in front of residences of MLAs.
In a release, the committee noted the restive situation in the State since the outbreak of the ethnic clash on May 3 with Torbung as the epicentre.
Since then, the State Government has been rendered powerless, it said.
In the wake of the situation, local and district level clubs, organisations have joined hands and held a meeting on July 26 at Seva Club, Thongju during which it was resolved to urge the State Government to convene an "Emergency Assembly Session" by August 2 under Rule 4 clause (2) 1st Proviso of the Rule of Procedure and conduct of Business, it said.
The meeting also decided to urge the Government to discuss the present situation in the State and uphold the State's integrity, deny Separate Administration or any Union Territory and work for restoration of peace and normalcy in the State during the Emergency Assembly Session and send a representation of resolutions taken during it before the Parliament Session concludes, is said.
If the notification of Assembly Session is not issued within August 3, the committee is set to impose 24-hour public curfew from August 4 midnight.
Movement of people in essential services, attending religious and cultural ceremonies (with invitation card) will be exempted from the purview of the curfew, it said.
If the Government fails to act even after the curfew, the committee will launch an indefinite sit-in protest in front of the residences of the MLAs from August 6 onwards until they return with notification for an "Emergency Assembly Session", it said.
During the sit-in, no one should indulge in violent activities and such an act will be considered disruption of the peaceful protest, the committee said.
The committee also reached out to other organisations in other Assembly segments who have not been a part of the committee to adopt the same peaceful sit-in.