Imphal, Aug 31: Incensed over what they dubbed as extremely meagre quota of kerosene oil earmarked for them when compared with other Assembly Constituencies, the people of Hiyanglam and Wabagai today came out in full protest and burnt the fuel supplied to them.

Simultaneously, the effigies of Chief Minister O Ibobi, FCS Minister and the DC of Thoubal district were burnt at Wabagai.

On August 28 the Thoubal DC issued an order to open mobile sale of K-Oil in the district.

As per the order, the amount of the fuel earmarked was eight thousand for Khangabok AC, significantly the Constituency of the Chief Minister, seven thousand litres for Kakching AC, the Constituency of MLA Tomba and five thousand litres for Sugnu AC, the Constituency of PDA Chairman K Ranjit.

However for Hiyanglam and Wabagai ACs the K-oil allotted was only one thousand litre, said the visibly incensed people who had gathered at Wabagai bazar.

After the news that K-oil would be distributed was relayed through the newspapers and the radio about two/three thousand people started gathering at Wabagai Lamkhai since 8 am yesterday, said the people.

The people waited in the hot Sun without having their meal till 5 in the evening, said the people.

A little after 5 pm, the SDO accompanied by his staff arrived at the place and announced that K-oil would be supplied to the people at subsidised rate.

The amount allotted for the two Constituencies was one thousand litre.

On hearing that the quota of the fuel allotted to them was only one thousand litre, tension started running high among the people.

Thereafter the proposal to distribute the fuel yesterday was dropped and instead a public meeting was convened today to discuss the matter.

From early morning today, the people gathered at Wabagai Lamkhai bazar and started discussing whether they should tolerate the discriminatory stand of the Government and take whatever was on offer or to reject the same.

Even as the meeting was underway, some representatives went to meet the DC, SDO and SDC but could not meet the said officials.

At the office of the SDC, they were told to first accept the one thousand litre of kerosene and were assured that the balance quota would be released in September.

When the representatives wanted to know why only one thousand litre of kerosene was earmarked for two ACs while the other ACs received much more than that, an officer replied that they had received complaints from the other ACs while no complaints were received from Wabagai and Hiyanglam, narrated the incensed people while speaking to reporters today.

The representatives then returned to the meeting venue and the discussion proceeded after they informed the gathering of what had happened.

After a serious deliberation the people gathered at the meeting decided to burn the fuel allotted to them as it would not be enough for distribution to the people and also decided to demand that the Government should allot ten thousand litres of kerosene by September 8 failing which the people of Wabagai and Hiyanglam would be constrained to launch a series of agitation.

Accordingly the one thousand litre of kerosene was taken out in barrel to a nearby ground at Wabagai Lamkhai bazar and set on fire.

The effigies of the Chief Minister, FCS Minister and Thoubal DC were also burnt.

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