Manipur students impose curfew on non-local businessmen

Correspondent
IMPHAL, February 12

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]rotesting the alleged inaction by both the state and central governments into the killing, rape and assault on North East students in mainland India, Delhi in particular, a Joint Students Co-ordination Committee (JSCC), a unified body of six student’s bodies in Manipur, today imposed 19 hour curfew on business activities of non-locals in living in the state capital.
Most of the important shops and business establishments run by the non-locals in and around Imphal town remained closed due to the curfew affected from 5 am today.The step has been taken as both the state and the central governments have not taken any appropriate measures with regard to the recent racist attacks on students from Northeast in Delhi, according to Th Premananda of JSCC.
The crimes against north-east people can be stopped if security measures were taken up in time, but it has not been done, he stated.
The non-local businessmen were seen standing in groups in front of their shops while some tried to serve needy customers by keeping the shops half open.
On Tuesday, All Manipur Students Union led students’ bodies and human rights activists and BJP Manipur Pradesh staged separate sit-in demonstrations against the recent killing of a young student from Arunachal Pradesh, assault of Manipuri students and subsequent raping of a 14-year-old girl, also from Manipur, in the national capital.
Manipur’s Lok Sabha MP Dr Thokchom Meinya on Tuesday reportedly urged the Centre and Delhi administration to ponder on the issues arising out of attacks on NE students very urgently and seriously. He also sought immediate intervention and formulation of a long-term strategy in the ongoing Parliament session. Earlier, Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had a meeting with the Central leaders, including the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Sindhe, in connection with the recent incidents in Delhi.