CrPC 144 Ms proposed rally
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 03 2018: The all political parties silent solidarity rally which was supposed to proceed from Kakwa Bazar to MU campus was cancelled after the authority concerned declined to grant necessary permission to organize the rally as restrictions under Section 144 CrPC has been enforced in Imphal West district.

The raliyists were stranded near Kakwa Lamdaibung Lampak for around an hour after they began the rally from Kakwa community hall as a large number of police personnel prevented them from proceeding further on the account that Section 144 CrPC has been imposed in Imphal West district for some time now.

There was a brief and heated argument between the politicians and the high ranking civil and police officers wherein the politicians reasoned that they have been waiting for a reply from DC Imphal West for permission to organize the rally.

Later, after around an hour, Okram Joy announced that the rally has been cancelled as Imphal West DC has declined to grant permission to organize the rally.

The politicians and the rallyists then went in their private vehicles to Manipur University and joined the relay hunger strike which is being carried out at the front gate of the university by MUSU, MUTA and MUSA.

Many politicians including, ex-MLA of Naoriya Pakhanglakpa A/C, RK Anand, ex-MLA of Khurai A/C, Ng Bijoy, former MLA of Kumbi A/C, N Mangi were also among the politicians who participated in the proposed rally that was later cancelled.

PRJA convenor Erendro Leichombam was also present at the relay hunger strike.

Congress ex-MLA RK Anand decried the Government's act of refusing to give permission to organize the silent solidarity rally and termed the action as an anti-democratic step taken up to suppress the voice of people.

Asserting that the proposed rally was purely a democratic movement in connection with the ongoing impasse at MU, he conveyed that the rally was planned as a way of expressing solidarity to the ongoing movement.

The entire student community in the State and their career have been jeopardized.

There is no valid reason for the Government to stop political parties, politicians and people from expressing solidarity to the present impasse in the university.

Such activities on the part of the people should be allowed to take place as the MU protest is fully justified, he claimed.

The student communities of the university and the State as well as the people of the State are fighting for justice.

But they are being subjected to harassment and prolonged torture.

This is going to destroy the basic foundation of democracy in the State itself.

This is highly condemnable, he added.

On the other hand, veteran politician Okram Joy lamented that the response of the authorities concerned to either reject or approve the proposal/application for organizing the rally was not informed in time.

He claimed that the organizers of the rally had sought prior permission from the authorities concerned in consideration of the presence of Section 144 of CrPC in Imphal West district.

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