Five student agitators hospitalised

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, January 24, 2019: Five students were hospitalised as they fainted when police lobbed smoke bombs in the midst of a group of students who tried to storm at the residence of Rajya Sabha MP Ksh. Bhabananda Singh at Wahengleikai.

The students were demanding to declare his stand on the citizenship bill. They demanded to oppose the bill from passing it in the parliament session which is scheduled to begin on January 31.

Two students groups of demonstrators tried to storm at Bhabananda’s residence one after another.

The five student volunteers who fainted belonged to the first group. They were fainted when police lobbed smoke bombs to disperse the agitating student mass. They were hospitalised at RIMS.

Police allowed representatives of the first group comprising of All Manipur Students’ Union, Manipur Students’ Federation, Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur, Kangleipak Students’ Association, Students’ Union of Kangleipak and Apunba Irreipakki Maheirosing Singpanglup to meet Bhabananda .

AMSU president Manjit Sarangthem said, “We urged him to assure the people that he will oppose the citizenship bill in the upcoming parliament session.”

“We have been asking to all the leaders of Manipur to express their clear stance against the bill. The leaders both in the ruling and in the opposition should unite together and act in the interest of the people of the state,” Manjit added.

Bhabanada who is also president of BJP Manipur Pradesh said, “The students have enlightened. As an MP I have expressed that I would stand on the side of the people of my state.”

“I am also son of this land. We do politics for people’s welfare. Our party and the government will not go against the wish of the people and we don’t have the courage for it. We will press the centre according to the wish of the people,” he added.

The second group comprised of All Meitei Pangal Students’ Union Manipur, Manipuri Students’ Association Delhi, Socialists Students’ Union Manipur, Reformists Student Front and All Manipur Muslim Students’ Organisation.

 They were accompanied by women vendors of Ima Keithel (women market) who marched towards the MPs residence.

The women demonstrators hold banners embedded “save Indigenous people”, “withdraw the citizenship bill”, “MLAs and MP who support the bill should resign”, “let’s abolish organisations and political parties who support the bill from soil of Manipur”.

Representatives of the second group were also allowed to meet Bhabananda.

The student groups yesterday declared to organise a protest rally on January 30 in Delhi to oppose from passing the bill in Rajya Sabha and to take up mass protest in Manipur on the day the bill is tabled in the Rajya Sabha.