Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has appealed to all sections of society in the state not to call bandhs or impose blockades to air their grievances, warning that such actions can lead to unwanted violence, and urged people to adopt other forms of democratic agitation.
Before leaving for New Delhi on Sunday, the Chief Minister told DIPR that both the Manipur government and the Union government are committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Manipur. He said calling a bandh would not serve any purpose and would instead create further hardship for ordinary citizens.
Khemchand Singh appreciated the role of leaders of the 14 CSOs and the delegation of MLAs who recently campaigned in New Delhi for the implementation of the NRC in the state by meeting central leaders and officials, saying their efforts had elicited a positive response.
He stressed that during a bandh, the main sufferers are daily wage earners and students. Women vegetable vendors, he noted, are hit particularly hard as they depend on daily sales of farm produce, and any disruption causes immense hardship to their families. Students, too, suffer as their academic routine is disturbed; describing them as the future pillars of society, he appealed to all stakeholders not to disrupt the state’s academic calendar.
The Chief Minister also warned that agitators who break the law in an attempt to create chaos would face stringent action. He said he was travelling to New Delhi to meet top central leaders and discuss various ongoing issues concerning the state.
Khemchand Singh added that, after more than three years, road transport between Imphal, Dimapur and Guwahati has resumed without trouble. He said the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati bus service would ease the burden on poorer residents who had been forced to pay costly airfares between Imphal and Guwahati.
