Mixed response to ATSUM bandh call
Source: The Sangai Express /Newmai News Network
Imphal, June 03 2013:
The All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) sponsored 38 hours total bandh received mixed responses in the hill districts of Manipur today.
Ukhrul district and Churachandpur district witnessed strong and favourable responses to the ATSUM bandh but Senapati and Chandel district headquarters failed to respond to the bandh call.
Our CCpur correspondent reports that supporters of the ATSUM's general strike today caused minor damages to several vehicles that defied the strike here.
The strike was partial as some educational institutions remained closed while in some areas life remained unaffected.
The strike was mostly visible within proper-township with volunteers blocking the street at several points where some vehicles, mostly two wheelers, defying the strike call were reportedly damaged.
The damages however were not extensive in all the cases, said a source.
Vehicular movement between Tamenglong and Imphal was halted today due to the bandh.
ATSUM leaders claimed that around 9 trucks plying along NH-2 were damaged today by their volunteers.
Tyres were burnt along Dingku Road this morning.
Police later dispersed the strike supporters.
Regarding the inter-State vehicular movement along National Highway-2, the number of passenger buses and heavy goods vehicles was very less today but passenger vehicles like Tata Winger and Tata Sumo were plying between Imphal and Dimapur as usual.
However, no vehicular movement was seen along the Imphal-Silchar road (NH-37) due to the bandh.
Vehicles stayed off the road on the Imphal-Ukhrul route.
Shops and other business activities also came to a complete halt at the district headquarters of Ukhrul and Churachandpur but there were no bandh impact at the district headquarters of Senapati and Chandel.
Some shops were seen opened in Tamenglong district headquarters, reports reaching here said.
Meanwhile, 9 volunteers of All Tribal Disabled Union, Manipur (ATDUM) were arrested by police while the activists were enforcing the bandh at Kanglatongbi area.
They were taken to Sekmai police station this morning but four were released this evening, reports said.
Bandh supporters attacked vehicles with stones in Kanglatongbi area along NH-2 .
ATSUM has been demanding improvement of health and education infrastructure in the hill areas; setting up of State Commission of the Scheduled Tribes under the Article 338A of the Indian Constitution, etc.
Interestingly, citing that the present ATSUM is not mandated by the people of the hill areas, various organisations like KSO, NSUC, SDSA, etc under the aegis of 'Interim body of ATSUM' have been opposing the activities of the present 'ATSUM' .
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