Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh appeals against bandhs and blockades, urges democratic protests and warns of action against lawbreakers.
Imphal, August 30: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has appealed to all sections of society to refrain from calling bandhs and blockades, saying such actions can lead to unwanted violence and cause hardship to ordinary people.
Speaking to the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) before leaving for New Delhi on Sunday, Khemchand stated that both the Manipur and Union governments were committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people.
He urged groups with grievances to adopt other forms of democratic agitation instead of imposing shutdowns, arguing that bandhs would not serve their intended purpose and could create additional difficulties for the public.
The Chief Minister also appreciated the efforts of leaders from 14 civil society organisations and a delegation of MLAs who recently travelled to New Delhi to campaign for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur.
According to Khemchand, the delegation's meetings with central leaders and officials had received a positive response in New Delhi.
CM cites hardship faced by workers, vendors and students
Khemchand noted that daily wage earners were among those most affected whenever a bandh was imposed. He also pointed to the difficulties faced by women vegetable vendors, many of whom depend on daily sales of farm produce to support their families.
Any disruption to their daily work, he said, could cause considerable hardship to their households.
The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the impact of repeated shutdowns on students. He said bandhs disrupt the normal academic environment and appealed to all stakeholders to ensure that the academic calendar in the state was not affected.
Describing students as the future pillars of society, Khemchand urged those organising agitations to consider the consequences for education before calling shutdowns.
At the same time, he warned that stringent action would be taken against agitators who violate the law or attempt to create a chaotic situation.
Khemchand to meet central leaders in New Delhi
The Chief Minister said his visit to New Delhi was aimed at meeting senior central leaders and discussing various ongoing issues concerning Manipur.
He also pointed to the recent resumption of road transport services between Imphal, Dimapur and Guwahati after more than three years.
According to Khemchand, the restored Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service would provide relief to people who had been forced to depend on expensive air travel between Imphal and Guwahati.
