Imphal: Manipur Police personnel fired tear gas shells, rubber bullets to disperse agitators protesting Citizenship Bill on Friday at the main market area.
Large numbers of students came out in the main market areas to oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) 2016.
Shops were closed down and police personnel stopped entry of vehicles in the market areas.
The students’ bodies mainly AMSU, MSF, DESAM, SUK, KSA and AIMS said they will work together to oppose the Bill as it was introduced to get votes at the cost of the indigenous peoples of the North East.
The students shouted slogans against the Bill and they vowed to fight against it. They said the Narendra Modi government is trying to completely root out the indigenous people of Manipur and other north eastern states which were already facing problems due to large scale influx of immigrants from the neighbouring countries.
Protestors shouted slogans like, ‘We Condemn police firing against protestors, We oppose Citizenship Bill’.
They also stated that like Tripura the indigenous people will become minorities soon.
The Manipur Cabinet on Friday had decided to urge the Centre for exemption of Manipur from the jurisdiction of the Citizenship Amendment Bill.
The State Cabinet observed that the population of the State is only about 0.2% the nation.
Manipur has a large number of ethnic groups, each with unique dialects, customary laws and practices.
Adequate Constitutional protection is considered necessary to protect the small indigenous population.
Accordingly, the Manipur Peoples’ (Protection) Bill, 2018 was passed by the State Legislative Assembly in order to protect the interest of indigenous population of the State.
The passage of the Bill had restored the confidence of the people of Manipur. The Bill has since been moved to the President of India for getting his assent. Assent is yet be received by the State Government.
Congress and other political parties have also opposed the Bill. (UNI)
