Strike paralyses normal life in Manipur
Imphal: The strike has paralysed normal life over NRC demand across BJP ruled violence hit Manipur state.
According to Kashmir Media Service, normal life was severely affected across five valley districts of Manipur today as a 24-hour statewide strike called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) over the demand for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census was brought .
The strike protest disrupted markets, educational institutions and public transport across five Manipur valley districts. The protesters blocking roads and preventing movement of vehicles, continued despite the Census deferment, underlining the sensitivity around the NRC demand.
Protesters took to the streets in the morning in support of the strike. Women vendors at Khwairamb and Ima Market also remained at the market in support of the agitation.
Market establishments and business centres remained closed, while roads wore a deserted look in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching. Educational institutions also remained shut and public transport stayed off the roads, although a few private vehicles were seen plying.
At Yairipok in Thoubal district, strike supporters reportedly placed bamboo poles on roads to prevent the movement of vehicles.
The protesters said their demand was for the implementation of the NRC before the census, citing concerns over the alleged presence of illegal immigrants in the state. They argued that conducting the census and subsequent delimitation without first addressing the issue of illegal immigration would not adequately protect the interests of indigenous people.
A protester said the state BJP government’s announcement regarding the deferment of the census was not sufficient in the absence of an official notification from the competent authority of the Government of India.
The JFD has maintained that its agitation would continue until its demand for implementation of the NRC before the census is addressed.
Separately, the High Court of Manipur has also directed that the census process be withheld in the state.
