Manipur blocked highways on over 700 vehicles left stuck, Internet suspended

Imphal 8th August : Nearly 700 vehicles carrying goods were stuck on the National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) on Monday amid the tension due to the blockade announced by the All-Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) since Friday, slowed normal operations in the hill districts of Manipur officials stated.

The ATSUM called the economic blockade economic blockade on the Friday, insisting that the Manipur (hill regions) Autonomous District Council (Amendment) Bill, 2021 be moved in the state Assembly to grant more autonomy and administrative power to tribal autonomous councils.The Manipur government, following marathon meetings on Monday and Sunday and Tuesday, has reached an agreement with the agitated ATSUM leaders.

Following the signature of the agreement the government released all five of the ATSUM leaders who were detained on August 2nd and remanded to 15 days of judicial custody by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Imphal West.In accordance with the agreement that was signed by Manipur government, represented by the Tribal Affairs Minister Letpao Haokip, Hill Areas Committee (HAC) chairman Dinganglung Gangmmei, and three student leaders the 7th Amendment Bill of Manipur Hill Areas District Councils to devolve of the power of Autonomous District Councils has been submitted to the HAC and the HAC will consult with all stakeholders before making a recommendation to the Manipur Assembly "The five arrested ATSUM leaders will be released following the lifting of economic blockade with no charges.

The arrest warrant and the FIR against the ATSUM leaders will be null and void," the agreement stated.In the meantime, in response to the tensions following the tension, the Manipur government had halted mobile data (internet) services for five days in the entire state on the weekend.

The notification, which was issued by the Special Secretary Home H.Gyan Prakash and quoting the Manipur Director General of Police He had stated that in Bishnupur district the incident took place on the weekend along NH-2, where one van was discovered burning after being set on fire by a youngsters.District magistrates of Bishnupur and Churachandpur have also issued prohibitory orders under Sections of 144 of the CrPC for an amount of two months in the two districts.

The police stated that since Friday, more than 1,200 goods-laden trucks carrying essential goods were stuck on National Highway-2, which connects Manipur with the rest of the country via Nagaland.About 30 tribal students sustained injuries in Imphal over the weekend, when the police stopped the protest, which led to a scuffle between two parties.

The BJP government led by the Chief Minister N.Biren Singh introduced the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council 6th and 7th amendment bills in the Assembly on Tuesday.However the ATSUM said that the legislations arent in conformity with their demands.

The ATSUM has been in a tumult in the hills districts like Kangpokpi and Senapati for a while and is demanding more power for the tribal councils of autonomous district.In August of last year, the Hill Area Committee (HAC) comprised of MLAs of all 20 reserved seats for tribal people of Manipur and Manipur, had recommended the proposed Autonomous District Council (ADC) Bill to ensure "equitable development" in the hill districts in the same manner that are in place in the valley region of the state.sc/arm .