Kohima: Nagaland’s apex tribal body Naga Hoho and Naga Students Federation on Thursday condemned Tuesday’s police lathi charge on demonstrators outside Manipur Bhawan in Delhi and demanded an investigation into the “brutal act of the Manipur Rifles and Delhi Police”.
Naga Hoho Secretary (Administration), Chitho Nyusou said action must be taken against the culprits for Tuesday’s lathi charge on the protestors, most of them tribal student union members and young professionals.
The Hoho demanded that peaceful protesters lodged in lock ups and jails be released immediately and medical expenses be paid for the injured.
Nyusou said the Manipur Tribals Forum Delhi (MTFD) had gathered outside Manipur Bhavan to register their resentment against the three “anti-tribal” Bills and the ‘All Manipur political party’ delegates.
NSF president Subenthung Kithan said instead of listening to the grievances of the tribals, they were harassed and tortured as criminals in the national capital.
The barbaric act and the high handedness of the Manipur Rifles and Delhi Police personnel should be condemned by all in the strongest term, the NSF added.
“The barbaric act of the Manipur Rifles and Delhi Police is clear sign of vengeance meted out to the unarmed peaceful protestors of MTFD,” he said adding that the lathi charge clearly showed the incapability of the men in uniform and the lack of sincerity by Manipur government which, the NSF said, was lobbying for three “anti-tribal” bills be made into acts.
The students union also alleged that four young mothers who were among the protestors were beaten, slapped, kicked and pulled by their hair.
“Taking undue advantage of the havoc created, some personnel even groped and molested some women,” it said.
At least 25 persons, including police officials, were injured in the clash between police and a group of protesters who held a demonstration outside Manipur Bhawan at Chakyapuri in New Delhi on June 7 against the three Inner Line Permit system-related bills passed by the state assembly.
A police van was also damaged in the clash outside Manipur Bhawan in Sardar Patel Marg in the national capital.
The three bills were passed in August last year after months of mass movement to protect the indigenous populace from illegal immigrants in the state, including those from neighbouring Myanmar. (PTI)
