Imphal, April 11 2010: Supporting the All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM)'s decision of imposing economic blockade along the two National Highways in the State and on all the State highways, the Manipur Tribal Joint Action Committee Against Elections Under Unwanted District Council Act has called a separate a 24-hour 'total bandh in all the tribal inhabited districts of Manipur' starting from the midnight of April 12 .

GK Rongmei, chairman of the tribal body against the elections under unwanted district council Act said that the bandh will cover all including the construction of railways line from Jiri to Imphal.

However, he added that essential services will be relaxed from the purview of the bandh.

The chairman asserted, "The new trend of the Manipur Government to hold ethnic based elections is imprudent and a dangerous policy which seemingly incites communal tension among the different groups of Manipur.

"Such kind of divide and rule policy among the tribals should be stopped forthwith as it invites unwanted social upheaval," he added.

While welcoming all the tribal organizations partaking against the pending district council poll, the tribal body urged the general public to co-operate during their bandh.

It also warned that the bandh violators shall be at their own risk.

The tribal bodies are against holding the autonomous district council election under the Autonomous District Council Amendment Act, 2008.The MPP too has decided to stay away from the polls.