Protests rock Manipur hubs The women vendors organised a silent protest till 3pm, demanding the reason behind reintroducing the bill

Women protest in Imphal on Monday. Picture by Robert Sapam

Robert Sapam, TT, 19.11.19, Imphal: The women vendors of Ima market and student organisations of Manipur protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on Monday.

The women vendors organised a silent protest till 3pm, demanding the reason behind reintroducing the bill.

Students hit the streets here and raised slogans against the bill. A scuffle took place between them and the combined police and paramilitary forces, but the situation was brought under control.

The All Manipur Students’ Union organised a protest under the umbrella of the North East Students’ Organisation (Neso) at Keishampat Leimajam Leikai in Imphal West. Neso sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah protesting reintroduction of the bill.

The Neso memorandum was signed by its chairman Sumuel Jyrwa and general secretary Sinam Prakash Singh. They said the bill would have a negative impact on the indigenous people of the Northeast.

Taking part in the agitation, president of the North East Forum for Indigenous People, Ningthouja Lancha, said: “We feel that the Centre is not sincere. It had assured that a clause would be inserted in the bill to protect people of the Northeast. But we are kept in the dark. Where has that promise gone?”

He added: “The central government cannot ignore the interests of the people of the Northeast. We appeal to the Centre to reconsider its decision to withdraw the bill. If it is passed, the region will be engulfed in flames”.

Several sit-ins were also organised against the bill.

The Manipur People Against the Citizenship Amendment Bill has called an 18-hour total shutdown of the state starting from midnight tonight till 6pm on Tuesday.