Imphal, August 6 (NNN): As the indefinite general strike across Sadar Hills entered its sixth day today, inflation slowly began to ruffle the common men as the price of cooking LPG rose to an unconfirmed Rs 800 per cylinder in black market. There is an apprehension that the availability of other essential commodities may become a problem too in the next few days.
Meanwhile, two volunteers of Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) sustained bullet injuries in a strike related incident today. The demand committee has sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister to intervene for speedy resolution of the impasse. A local source said that two volunteers of the district demand committee was shot at by 7 and 2 Manipur rifles stationed at Kalapahar’s Village Defense Force (VDF) post yesterday at 10:30 pm as they were returning home after torching public health centre and sub post office located at Kalapahar.
The two victims are both residents of Keithelmanbi and have been identified as Thangkholal Lhouvum (17) and Thangzalien (18). While the former sustained injury on his right leg the latter was hit at his left elbow by the police. They have both been admitted to Civil Hospital at Kangpokpi for treatment. There are also reports that several government offices that were doused and salvaged from arson yesterday came under fresh attacks of the strike supporters. The deputy inspector of school office, ICDS office and the SDO office that were partially razed yesterday before being salvaged by the police has now been burnt beyond redemption at 3 am Saturday.
While speaking to the media after a public meeting today, general secretary of SHDDC Tonghen Kipgen said that the state government is deliberately trying to create trouble by employing commandos and IRB personnel to use force in suppressing the general strike in Sadar Hills. “If that (trouble) is what the government wants, we are ready to rise up to the occasion and face it,” he said. Reacting to voices of disapproval it has received during the past few days for its activities, Kipgen said that the committee (SHDDC) is least bothered by such censure because it only goes to prove that people are aware of the issue.
The general secretary went on to inform that the committee has received a fresh invitation from the chief minister for another round of talks but was rejected. “It is quite meaningless to talk without any attempt at resolving the issue,” he said. General secretary of Chandel unit of Thadou Students’ Association James Haokip informed that if the state government remains apathetic to the SHDDC demand they will be forced to support and join the ongoing agitation which has paralyzed Sadar Hills for six days. He also sought answer from the state government for its lackadaisical attitude on the Sadar Hills issue and the lack of initiative to resolve the issue forthwith.
The memorandum submitted by the demand committee today sought the intervention of the prime minster of India in order to bring about speedy resolution to the 40 decades long Sadar Hills issue. In pursuant to the rightful demand for districthood of Sadar Hills, all democratic forms of agitations have been employed by the committee (SHDDC) for the last 39 years. In 1982 the then government assured the committee of doing the needful in fulfilling its demand. On March 7, 1997 the then governor assured the people on the floor of the state assembly that the government was committed to inaugurating Sadar Hills as a full fledged autonomous district of Manipur. Again, the state cabinet in 2000 reaffirmed it commitment to the 1982 cabinet resolution for grant of districthood to Sadar Hills, but it has not been materialized yet, the memorandum stated.
It observed that in order to usher in speedy development and protection for the hill peoples in Manipur, the Parliament of India, under the Constitution, enacted Manipur (Hill Area) Autonomous District Council Act in 1971. While five of the earmarked six ADCs (Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Tengnoupal/Chandel, Senapati and Churachandpur) have already been created and remains functional, the fate of Sadar Hills ADC remains unfulfilled. After waiting for three years, the people of Sadar Hills formed Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) in 1974. Since then, successive state governments has been asked for the complete implementation of the 1971 act in Sadar Hills, it said.
Even after having petitioned successive governors and chief ministers of Manipur and despite the matter reaching the prime minister and Union home minister level, successive state governments have contemptuously sidelined the decision of the Parliament for the last 39 years by failing to fulfill the rightful demand of the people of Sadar Hills, the memorandum noted.
Meanwhile, two volunteers of Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) sustained bullet injuries in a strike related incident today. The demand committee has sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister to intervene for speedy resolution of the impasse. A local source said that two volunteers of the district demand committee was shot at by 7 and 2 Manipur rifles stationed at Kalapahar’s Village Defense Force (VDF) post yesterday at 10:30 pm as they were returning home after torching public health centre and sub post office located at Kalapahar.
The two victims are both residents of Keithelmanbi and have been identified as Thangkholal Lhouvum (17) and Thangzalien (18). While the former sustained injury on his right leg the latter was hit at his left elbow by the police. They have both been admitted to Civil Hospital at Kangpokpi for treatment. There are also reports that several government offices that were doused and salvaged from arson yesterday came under fresh attacks of the strike supporters. The deputy inspector of school office, ICDS office and the SDO office that were partially razed yesterday before being salvaged by the police has now been burnt beyond redemption at 3 am Saturday.
While speaking to the media after a public meeting today, general secretary of SHDDC Tonghen Kipgen said that the state government is deliberately trying to create trouble by employing commandos and IRB personnel to use force in suppressing the general strike in Sadar Hills. “If that (trouble) is what the government wants, we are ready to rise up to the occasion and face it,” he said. Reacting to voices of disapproval it has received during the past few days for its activities, Kipgen said that the committee (SHDDC) is least bothered by such censure because it only goes to prove that people are aware of the issue.
The general secretary went on to inform that the committee has received a fresh invitation from the chief minister for another round of talks but was rejected. “It is quite meaningless to talk without any attempt at resolving the issue,” he said. General secretary of Chandel unit of Thadou Students’ Association James Haokip informed that if the state government remains apathetic to the SHDDC demand they will be forced to support and join the ongoing agitation which has paralyzed Sadar Hills for six days. He also sought answer from the state government for its lackadaisical attitude on the Sadar Hills issue and the lack of initiative to resolve the issue forthwith.
The memorandum submitted by the demand committee today sought the intervention of the prime minster of India in order to bring about speedy resolution to the 40 decades long Sadar Hills issue. In pursuant to the rightful demand for districthood of Sadar Hills, all democratic forms of agitations have been employed by the committee (SHDDC) for the last 39 years. In 1982 the then government assured the committee of doing the needful in fulfilling its demand. On March 7, 1997 the then governor assured the people on the floor of the state assembly that the government was committed to inaugurating Sadar Hills as a full fledged autonomous district of Manipur. Again, the state cabinet in 2000 reaffirmed it commitment to the 1982 cabinet resolution for grant of districthood to Sadar Hills, but it has not been materialized yet, the memorandum stated.
It observed that in order to usher in speedy development and protection for the hill peoples in Manipur, the Parliament of India, under the Constitution, enacted Manipur (Hill Area) Autonomous District Council Act in 1971. While five of the earmarked six ADCs (Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Tengnoupal/Chandel, Senapati and Churachandpur) have already been created and remains functional, the fate of Sadar Hills ADC remains unfulfilled. After waiting for three years, the people of Sadar Hills formed Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee (SHDDC) in 1974. Since then, successive state governments has been asked for the complete implementation of the 1971 act in Sadar Hills, it said.
Even after having petitioned successive governors and chief ministers of Manipur and despite the matter reaching the prime minister and Union home minister level, successive state governments have contemptuously sidelined the decision of the Parliament for the last 39 years by failing to fulfill the rightful demand of the people of Sadar Hills, the memorandum noted.
