Torch rally marched over issues

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, August 8, 2018: People marched a torch rally at Thangmeiband in the heart of Imphal today evening demanding the government to resolve various burning issues by the state Assembly, organised by Thangmeiband United Club, a conglomerations of local clubs.

It demanded that Manipur Assembly should resolve that Naga peace accord should not affect neighbouring states, and Article 371 (A) should not be extended from Nagaland to Manipur. Civil society organisations has been complaining against Interlocutor R.N. Ravi’s recent statement of offering “special status” to Naga by extending the Article to settle peace talk between NSCN (I-M) and government of India. They claimed that it will create a Naga state within Manipur and disintegrate the state and its people.

The demonstrators also demanded to resolve Border Pillar 81 dispute. There has been complains from various sections including the villagers of Kwatha Khunou village located along the Indo-Myanmar border that the border pillar and its subsidiary pillars have been shifted for about three kilometres towards Indian territory. People sought clarification from minister Kiren Rijiju’s for his statement in Parliament that refuted people’s complain allegedly saying that there is no border dispute.

It was also demanded to remove Manipur University vice-chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey in support of the varsity fraternity which alleges Pandey for administrative and financial irregularities.

The rally marchers also shouted slogans “Stop Genocide, Indian Army should respect the law of the land.