People defy curfew, hold protests

FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

IMPHAL July 9:  People from all walks of life are defying the curfew which was imposed in the Imphal East and the Imphal West districts from 4 pm on Wednesday. This follows the killing of a student, Sapam Robinhood, in police firing. The students were taking out processions demanding implementation of the Inner Line Permit. In a statement the government also deeply mourned the death of the student. It also appealed to the organisors of the resurgent agitation not to use the students.

There were heated words exhaged between the ruling Congress and Opposition Trimool Congress members in the House on Thursday. Two members of the TMC I. Ibohanbi and Shyamkumar Thouojam had announced that they will stop attending the House if a definite stand on the ILP is taken.

The ruling members took exception since they purported to show that only the opposition members were concerned over the issue. Since business could not be conducted the speaker Lokeswor had to adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

Shyamkumar said that since the elected members could not do according to the wishes of the people all of them should tender resigtion. There are 57 MLAs following the disqualification of 3 members.

Within minutes of the imposition of curfew people came out. Women brandishing kerosene torches came out to take out a procession. Police fired tear gas canisters to disperse them. Boys and girls out in the street and despite closure of the educatiol institutes they are making their presence felt.

However life came to a standstill with all shops and facilities closed down. People are facing shortage of consumer items. Sick persons have no medicines and babies are deprieved of their foods. Daily wage earners are also denied their earnings.

Joint Committee on ILP system has also imposed a five day public curfew against the migrant workers beginning from Thursday. These migrants are not straying out of their rented rooms and shops. A statement said that during this public curfew the migrants cannot come out of their rooms, Besides outsider shall be allowed to enter Manipur.

The Assembly had passed a bill designed to regulate the entry and stay of the migrant workers. However it was rejected on the ground that it tends to protect the migrants. Besides the bill has been waiting for the assent of the governor. Because of the implications the governor shall not give his assent so easily.

The weeping parents of Sapam Robinhood, the student who was killed in police firings, said that now they have nothing to say since the body of their son has become the property of the JCILPS. All they want is a memorial stone near their house so that they could see it to remember their son every day. Police are patrolling all trouble prone areas to ensure law and order.