Over PM Modi’s silence, Ima market women calls protest on July 19

Imphal: Condemning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence and Amit Shah’s failure to end the two-month-old crisis, the women shopkeepers demanded political status before the merger.
On July 15, a large number of women shopkeepers staged a protest at the Khwairamband Ima Market, condemning the central leadership for not addressing the ongoing unrest. The protest was organized by Khwairmaband Ima Keithel Joint Coordinating Committee for Peace.
Addressing the media on the sidelines of the protest, one of the protestors, Huirem Binodini Devi, said that the current conflict has been going on for the past two months, allegedly instigated by armed miscreants.
But unfortunately the central leaders have not spoken a single word till date and have not listened to the voice of the people of Manipur till date. The silence of the Government of India hurt him a lot.
The silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah made us feel that we are not citizens of India. Central leaders should listen to our voice if we are citizens of India. Now our sense of nationhood is in the stage of evolution.
Therefore, we want to separate Manipur from the Government of India and restore the pre-merger political status,” he demanded, demanding that PM Modi and Amit Shah stop seeing the current Manipur unrest as a drama.
She continued that a mass protest would be held on July 19 in which people from all communities except Kuki, Nagas, and Meiti Muslims would participate.
She said that poppy cultivation in the state destroys the forest and spoils the lives of many youths of Manipur. Now the state is once again facing conflicts allegedly initiated by armed miscreants. The loss of lives of many young people to the scourge of conflict and drugs has reached an unbearable level.
She also slammed the state MLAs for not showing their firm stand on stopping the conflict.
On the other hand, women vendors’ organization Lukmai Sellup also demanded the central forces to perform their duties without any bias. The protesters also highlighted how poppy cultivation affects society and the environment.
During the protest, the protestors carried placards that read, “Enforce state forces in Moreh, open relief camps for Meitei in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh, restore Meitei in Churachandpur, Kongpokpi and Moreh.” Settlement was arranged.