People staging protest on the road in Imphal during the first day of the "On road mass protest" called by MANPAC on February 6. (Photo courtesy: NNN)
Newmai News Network
Imphal |February 6
Traffic jams were witnessed at various roads across Imphal on Wednesday on the first day of "On road mass protest" call given by Manipur People Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (MANPAC).
At some streets in the heart of Imphal, traffic police were having a harrowing time as large number of people came out and remained seated on the roads blocking them.
As MANPAC announced continuation of the same stir indefinitely until CAB is withdrawn, similar traffic situation is imminent in the days to come.
Today, normal traffics were disrupted at almost all the streets across the state capital, compelling the traffic police to take helps of the civil police on duty on the streets.
Students of various schools along with their teachers came out on the roads nearest to their respective schools and blocked by sitting on the roads.
Womenfolks also staged similar protests on several roads at their respective localities. However, at most of the places, they totally blocked the roads forcing total halt of traffic for hours.
At some places, police dispersed the protestors using force as they have no other option to help the traffic police in managing the traffic.
Besides displaying placards with various slogans against the CAB, the protestors also shouted anti-CAB slogans.
Taking part in one of the protests staged along Tidim Road (Imphal-Churachandpur Road), MANPAC convener Dilipkumar Yumnamcha reiterated the decision of the conglomerate of 72 organisations, continuing the "On road mass protest" until and unless CAB is withdrawn.
He said that the decision of the MANPAC was to save the "downtrodden" indigenous people of the region. Various forms of agitations will be launched if the Central government goes ahead with the passing of the Bill, he warned.
“We the downtrodden people of the region rise up their voices against the Government’s attitude. We will continue the protest until the government totally withdraws the Bill,” he said. “Until and unless the Bill is completely withdrawn, we are ready to launch other intensified forms of agitations in addition to the ongoing 'On road mass protest' which commenced today,” he added.
He then claimed that the womenfolk and students taking part in anti-CAB protest in the past as well as in today’s protest came out voluntarily. “This shows that MANPAC has full supports of people of all sections of the society,” he further claimed.
A leader of a local youth club organising one of the protests at Uripok-Kanchup road claimed that they came out voluntarily and will extend their all out supports to MANPAC.
Meanwhile, students and teachers of Hindi Training College and Hindi Teachers Training Institute located inside the DM College campus also staged a sit-in-protest in front of their institute complex.
Talking to reporters, the students’ union secretary, Thokchom Bishorjit demanded that the Central government not to pass the Bill considering the sentiments of the indigenous people of the Northeast region.
