Students’ bid to storm Assembly foiled

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 26

Students and volunteers of KSA today tried to storm the Manipur State Assembly from three different directions demanding legislation to prevent non-indigenous people from contesting elections and casting votes. They also demanded reservation of eight Assembly seats for the indigenous people.

The student’s marched towards Assembly from the western gate of DM College, who were stopped by the City police from reaching the Assembly near THAU Ground.

The students came out with the slogan “Yelhou Meegi Hak Kangadabani” and “Meetop na vote leppa yaroi.”

Later they were pushed back towards the campus and a little scuffle broke out between the police and students at the western gate and afterwards the situation was brought under control.

Students of Manipur College and Lilong Higher Secondary School staged a sit-in protest at Manipur College and later took out a rally, which was stopped them at Singjamei Yumnam Leikai from reaching the Assembly.

The same scenet was created when students of Mayai Lambi Zonal Council were stopped from reaching Assembly at Singjamei Yumnam Leikai. A confrontation between the police and student took place and later Zonal Council Akbar Boggi was detained by the police and released afterwards.

Bishnupur District Council students also marched towards Assembly from Thangmeiband Muzi Khul and were later stopped by the police from reaching the place.

Also the students of Alpha BCI Academy Thangmeiband, St. Savio English Higher Secondary School, and St Patric Higher Secondary School Thangmeiband also staged a sit-in protest and formed human chain.

Later, a press meet was held at Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA) at Takel Leikai wherein Moirangthem Lakshman president KSA said their demands should be considered by the government within the on-going Assembly session.

The demands are drafting of a law against non-indigenous people from contesting election in eight different constituencies for first phase i.e  Wangkhei, Kangpokpi, Jiribam, Thangmeiband, Sagolband, Sugnu, Bishnupur and Uripok and to reserve it for the indigenous people.

“If the government fails to respond to our demand within the ongoing Assembly, then the organisation is all set to take up against strong agitations,” he concludes.

In a related development students of Churachand Higher Secondary School also demanded withdrawal of the FIR against students at the earliest.

General secretary of the school’s students union, Samson Longjam condemned chief minister N. Biren for registering FIR against students. Students of the school today boycotted classes in protest. He threatened to launch severe form of agitation.

Due to demonstration by the students the road adjacent to CC school was blocked for some hours. A team of Imphal East police led by SP K. Kabib rushed at the spot and pacified the agitators.