Imphal, November 22: Even as the 22 hour general strike called by the Manipuri Students' Federation against the controversial decision of the referee that sent Manipur crashing out of the Santosh Trophy in a quarter final match against Goa, the All Political Party delegation which is currently in New Delhi, called on the newly inducted Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Oscar Fernandes and urged him to take fitting action against the referee for his partial decision.

State unit BJP president Th Chaoba who is among the All Political Party delegation informed The Sangai Express from Delhi that the team called on Oscar Fernandes yesterday and gave a detailed report of the misconduct of the referee, Shaji Kurien and the other match officials and the subsequent uproar in Manipur.

The Union Minister has taken a serious note of the matter and informed the delegates that the case would be looked into judiciously after consulting the authority concerned, Chaoba informed.

Since Fernandes is not well versed with the technical matter of the games besides moving to this portfolio only recently, he (Fernandes) suggested that the team also meet AIFF president Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, said Chaoba.

Das is also a Union Minister.

The team was led by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh.

As Priya Ranjan Das Munshi has a tight schedule and is currently engaged in preparing for the upcoming Winter session of the Parliament, the team could not meet him earlier, said Chaoba but added that an appointment has been fixed for tomorrow at 2.30 pm.

The delegates also called on Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today at 1.15 pm and apprised the matter to him as it has created law and order problem, said a statement issued by Manipur Information Centre, Delhi today.

The Union Home Minister assured the delegates that such an incident will not be allowed to recur in the future.

Meanwhile the 22 hour general strike called by the Manipuri Students' Federation ended peacefully today at 5 pm.

Though the general strike was peaceful by and large it severely affected normal life in Imphal and elsewhere today.

All commercial centres in Imphal remained closed for the day and the normally crowded roads of Imphal wore a deserted look today with only a few two wheelers and four wheelers seen on the roads.

Schools and other educational establishments remained closed for the day and inter district buses and taxis also stayed off the road.

Other than the Secretariat and Police Department, office attendance dropped sharply today.

However flight services were not disrupted during the general strike today though tourist buses suspended service.

The general strike also had an impact at Bishnupur and Thoubal district with the main markets remaining closed.

The general strike had no impact in the hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, CCpur and Tamenglong.

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