General strike called, curfew clamped in Govt Depts
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 25 2014 : Denouncing the highhandedness of security personnel and the excesses committed on students who were demanding implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system on July 24, the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has called a State-wide general strike from July 25 midnight today to 6 pm of July 25 .

The Students' Wing of JCILPS has also clamped curfew in all government departments excluding Education Department and essential services from today to July 28 in condemnation of the government's decision of declaring holidays in all the educational institutes to counter the escalating movement of the students for implementation of ILP in the State.

Announcing the imposition of State-wide general strike in a press meet held at a place in Imphal East district today, Ibotombi Khuman, convener of JCILPS, decried the police excesses on the students who were taking part in the protests spearheaded by JCILPS from July 21 to July 25 and demanded unconditional release of all the students who have been arrested by the police for demanding implementation of ILP system in the State.

He pointed out that the demand for implementation of ILP is for the interest of the whole people of the State including the Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, MLAs and police personnel themselves.

So, police personnel should treat the students as their enemies.

He further said that police personnel should also be aware of the rampant influx of non-locals in the State, the problem of which could be solved by implementing the ILP system.

While seeking the support and co-operation of all in ensuring implementation of ILP in the State at the earliest possible, Ibotombi also informed media, water supply, medical, fire service and religious ceremony will be exempted from the purview of the general strike.

Kh Ratan, co-convener of JCILPS, who was also present at the press meet, observed that the influx of non-locals in the State has been increased by leaps and bounds thereby posing a serious threat to the very survival of the indigenous people.

Saying that all the 60 MLAs have utterly failed to exerting pressure on the Central Government for implementation of ILP system in the State, he pledged that a series of intense agitation will be launched until the government implements the system in the State.

Th Somorendro, BK Moirangcha and Arjun Telheiba, who are all co-conveners of JCILPS, were also present during the press meet.

Meanwhile, Moirangthem Angamba, convener of JCILPS, Students' Wing, told Hueiyen Lanpao that the decision of the government to declare holidays in all educational institutes in the name of curbing escalating movement for ILP implementation is violation of Right to Education and observed that sudden declaration of holidays in the institutes is like imposing curfew in their campuses.

So, the Students' Wing of JCILPS has decided to clamp curfew in all government departments excluding Education Department and essential services with immediate effect today till July 28, Angamba said, while adding that the demand for implementation of ILP system in the State is legitimate and mere beating/arresting of students by police personnel cannot suppress the movement.

Pledging that agitation of students would continue their agitation till the ILP system is implemented in the State, he cautioned that different kinds of agitation other than the bandh and curfew will also be launched from time to time.

Meanwhile, women vendors at Khwairamband Keithel have come out strongly against the brutal act of the police who were seen slapping and kicking students during the protest staged on July 24 .

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