JCILPS clamps 24 hour bandh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 09 2014: In a sudden turn of events, Joint Committee for Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) has announced a 24 hour State-wide general strike instead of turning up for a scheduled meeting with the Government today.

The strike is set to come into force from midnight today and will be in force for 24 hours.

Speaking to reporters, JCILPS Convenor Ibotombi Khuman said that the general strike has been called to press the demand to terminate the service of Imphal West Additional SP (Traffic), unconditional release of all the arrested members of JCILPS and early implementation of ILPS in the State.

Revealing the sequence of turn of events, Ibotombi Khuman said that JCILPS Student's Wing volunteers carried out a verification drive of non-locals at Singjamei area on September 5 last.

Womenfolk at Khwairamband Keithel

On seeing the student volunteers, some non-locals tried to elude them and got inside the office of M/S Tashi Interiors.

Although, the student volunteers cornered the non-locals in the said office, owner of the private firm, Y Devson identified them as his staff, Ibotombi said.

He added that an unwanted altercation broke out between Devson and the student volunteers as the latter questioned the authority of the former instead of providing identity proof documents of the non-locals.

Later, the student volunteers asked Devson to come to JCILPS office to resolve the matter, however he did not turn up, Ibotombi alleged.

Devson came to JCILPS office only on September 8 after repeated communications.

As the senior executives were busy discussing the points, which were to be raised in the scheduled meeting with the Chief Minister and All Political Parties Forum, Student Wing volunteers were entrusted to resolve Devson's matter in another room.

However, a heated scuffle broke out between the students and Devson's party, in which both the sides suffered physical injuries, Ibotombi said.

At around 2.30 pm the same day, Ibotombi said, a police commando team led by Y Victoria allegedly ransacked JCILPS office and arrested some student wing volunteers.

Ibotombi added that Victoria not only disrupted the crucial meeting of JCILPS executives but also demanded to identify the students who beat up his elder brother.

Questioning whether the State Government is being run under Y Victoria and her family, Ibotombi expressed apprehension on whether the Government is trying to divert the issue of ILPS taking advantage of the incident.

Taking these points into account, JCILPS would not consider any dialogue with the Government on ILPS until the demands put forward by JCILPS are fulfilled, Ibotombi said.