Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 11 2009:
The hill districts of Manipur will witness numerous agitations in the current month resorted by various groups pressurizing the government of Manipur to address their respective woes.Today, Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF) has announced to call Manipur five hill districts 12-hour bandh on July 17 to protest against the failure from the part of the state government to conduct elections to the Autonomous District Council (ADC) in the districts of Senapati, Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Chandel and Ukhrul in the last 20 years or so.
Mention may be made that All Tribal Students' Union , Manipur (ATSUM) has lined up its course of agitation in this month over the reservation issue.Meanwhile, the IDF then warns that it will intensify its agitation including imposing indefinite economic blockade from July 28 if the state government continues to remain indifferent towards the demands of the Front.
"The IDF will resort to different types of agitations simultaneously without ceasing unless the vibrant democracy at the grass-root level is established in the hill districts of Manipur," it added.It is pertinent to note that as a mark of the first phase of protest sponsored by Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF) against the state government's delay to hold elections to the Autonomous District Council (ADC), activists and supporters of the front started wearing black badges since July 10 while black flags have been fixed in the vehicles in the five hill districts of Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Chandel, Ukhrul and Senapati.
Besides, the IDF activists also resorted to poster-campaign by pasting the banners in the walls and vehicles.
The Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF) posters are inscribed with slogans such as, "Give back what is due to us granted by the Constitution of India; Decentralisation of power is a must for wholesome development in Manipur; We want early elections to the Autonomous District Council (ADC)".