Condemnations pour in against excesses of AR personnel
State BJP leads in decrying Pallel incident
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 09 2023:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Manipur Pradesh has expressed its dismay over yesterday's incident at Pallel during which a large number of youth and women sustained injuries while two succumbed to bullet injuries.
In a statement, the BJP State unit extended solidarity to the victims and strongly condemned the excessive act and use of live rounds by Assam Rifles personnel posted at Pallel leaving more than 50 individuals injured and causing the death of two persons.
The State unit also appealed to the Central security personnel to tone down their action while controlling mobs.
Expressing solidarity to the bereaved family and those injured, BJP State unit further prayed for speedy recovery of the victims.
The Uripok Apunba Lup (UAL), a confederation of all clubs in Uripok has also vehemently condemned the excesses meted out to youth and women who thronged Pallel in the wake of the Kuki militant's attack yesterday.
The UAL, in a statement, said that the AR personnel not only treated the youths and women like animals but also targeted them with guns causing death of two while leaving many including women injured.
Assam Rifles is not being deployed in the State to control mobs.
They should have intimated civil police in case of a mob situation.
Instead of doing that, they displayed their cruelty and high-handedness, said UAL.
Their excessive nature is a clear violation of the Constitution of India, said UAL while reminding Assam Rifles that Manipur is also a part of India and the people of Manipur are also Indians.
It is the duty of the top brass to school their subordinates and lower ranking personnel on how to handle mob situations, it added.
Stating that the Supreme Court of India, on numerous occasions, has told security forces to respect human rights, UAL also continued to remind the AR that no one is above the law.
It is a universally accepted norm to use minimum force while controlling mob and blank firing in the air to caution agitators.
But, crossing all norms, the AR personnel directly targeted the mob, UAL observed.
Their activities have reduced the State to the level of a military ruled State, it said.
Maintaining that the AR personnel involved in the excessive acts should be tried and awarded befitting punishment, UAL also demanded apology from the paramilitary force and compensation to the victims.
If Assam Rifles fails to comply, UAL is set to take a legal course of action, the statement continued.