Imphal: Hundreds of people Thursday demonstrated in the Manipur capital of Imphal demanding replacement of a bills to regulate influx of immigrants to the northeastern Indian state.
Gyneshwor, a leader of the protesters, demanded a comprehensive bill that can guarantee the protection of the indigenous inhabitants of the region.
The Manipur Legislature passed the Manipur Regulation of Visitors, Tenants and Migrant Workers Bill, 2015, at its tenth session.
Gyneshwor alleged that the bill has nothing to do with the protection of the indigenous people of the region. It would rather encourage the immigrants entering into the state, said the head of the women wing of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), a conglomerate of civil organizations that demand implementation of Inner Line Permit System in the state.
Police had a hard time dealing with the protesters, who were mostly students and women, reported nagalandpost.com.
The rally started from a public ground near Imphal’s Kwakeithel and marched on the streets. The marchers shouted slogans alleging that the government had failed to protect the indigenous people’s interest as it had not found a mechanism to save them from domination by increasing influx of immigrants in the state.
When the protestors marched towards the state Assembly, where the budget session was going on, police blocked them at Thouda Bhabok Leikai along the Tidim road. It led to a brief struggle between the police and the protestors. Police baton-charged the protestors when they attempted to march ahead after breaking the barricades. No major injury was reported in the police action.
Irate by the police action, the students blocked the traffic along the Tidim road by piling up logs and scattering waste products collected from the roadsides.