MPLF boycotts Patil, calls for general strike
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 08 2011: Announcing that they are boycotting the visit of India's President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil in Manipur, the banned Manipur People's Liberation Front (MPLF) has called a 48-hr general strike from March 10 .

The general strike would be effective from midnight of March 9 till midnight of March 11, an email statement of the apex body of the MPLF said.

It asserted that the visit of the President of India is nothing but to lie that Manipur is a part of India.

The visit is targeted to fool the world that India was taking care of Manipur and taking up developmental and welfare works of the people even though people of the state have been suppressed for the last 60 years by deploying an excessive number of security forces, the statement said.

The statement charged that the GoI is terrorizing the people by enforcing AFSPA, which has given extra power to the security forces for the last 55 years.

It further said the GoI does not understand that the people of Manipur wish to live in a state freedom.

Except for laying foundation stones of projects and repairing of roads in connection with their visits, no development works are taken up in the state, the statement pointed out and said GoI is trying to eliminate the indigenous people in the name of development.

The proposed visit of the President is a part of GoI's ongoing process of suppressing the people, and her visit will give no benefits to the people, the MPLF asserted and announced the imposition of a general strike as part of the boycott of her visit.

Movement of vehicles, entertainment programmes, screening of cinema etc.

during the strike hours are banned, the statement said.

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