General strike paralyses Imphal

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, September 27, 2018: Forty-eight hour state wide general strike in Manipur imposed by six students’ organisations demanding to release Manipur University teachers and students has paralysed business establishments and educational institutions in Imphal and several parts of Manipur.

The six student groups are All Manipur Students’ Union, Manipur Students’ Federation, Democratic Students’ Alliance Manipur, Kangleipak Students’ Association, Students’ Union of Kangleipak and Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Sinpanglup.

 The Manipur University students and teachers were arrested following the police crackdown within the campus on the midnight of September 20.

The state government ordered all administrative secretaries and heads of departments to ensure attendance in all their offices and sub-ordinate offices during the general strike. An order to this effect was issued by chief secretary J. Suresh Babu on Tuesday.

The order directed all deputy commissioners to ensure functioning of all offices in districts and ensure attendance in all offices. Departmental actions will be initiated against employees who are absent, it said.

The transport department also warned to suspend and even cancel the permits issued to the public transport vehicles like buses, taxies, auto-rickshaws, vans etc, if they fail to operate and serve the public during general strike

There were instances of government employees who stationed at their respective offices since yesterday to obey instructions to attend office against the strike.

Roads wore a deserted look except few state transport service buses on the roads in Imphal city. Interstate transport services were shut down.

Khwairamband market was shut down. Few street vendors were trading by the deserted road sides.

Shops at Thangal Bazar and Paona Bazar were shut. Few of them were opened in the afternoon as police teams came and ordered to open.

The general strike does not affect religious ceremonies and essential services.