Reopening of schools, removal of state forces: Massive protest erupts in Manipur’s border town Moreh

Pressure groups in border town Moreh have sought intervention of the Union Home Ministry and a memorandum has been sent to Amit Shah

Massive protest erupted in Manipur’s border town Moreh today as women and students in large numbers took to the streets demanding that the Centre takes adequate steps to reopen schools and removal of state security forces.

Students who are facing uncertainty over their future endeavours staged a sit-in-demonstration by holding placards with slogans of- “We want peace not commando, education is our birthright, PM Modi Ji open our schools, remove CDO so that we can go to schools” etc.

Pressure groups- Kuki Women Union and Human Rights Moreh and the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) also expressed solidarity to the protest and sent a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah through the Tengnoupal DC.

The memorandum which sought for restoration of normal life in Moreh, also stated that children in the border town have been deprived of education since last year as the conflict has made the functioning of schools impossible.

“The future of our children, future pillar of the nation is at stake. The present situation and arrangements here do not show any sign of improvement which could pave the way for restoration of normal public life to enable the functioning of schools and children to avail education,” the memorandum stated.

Both the organisations, also demanded that the Manipur State Police Commandos in Moreh be replaced by additional central security forces.

Worth mentioning, a series of intermittent attacks targetting the security forces by miscreants in Moreh were reported early this month. On January 17, an India Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel and another Manipur Police personnel lost their lives during attacks launched by unidentified gunmen.

Contrary to the demand of different groups for deploying central security forces in Moreh, the Manipur Government had sought Centre’s intervention to deploy a ‘neutral force’.

This happened after MLAs of the ruling BJP had held threadbare discussions with Manipur CM N Biren Singh on January 21 over the evolving situation. Following this, the MLAs resolved to urge the Centre to withdraw Assam Rifles especially from Moreh, Kakching, Bishnupur and Imphal West and deploy a neutral force instead.

The death of four civilians at Ningthoukhong Kha Khunou after they were shot dead by armed miscreants had triggered a row wherein it was alleged that the incident took place due to the non-intervention of the Assam Rifles.

Watch also: 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗿: 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀

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