IMPHAL, June 21 MNS Agencies :A 12 hour bandh called by CPI partially affected life here today. The bandh was called from 0050 hours till 1700 hours to demand repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 . The CPI had also organised a rally yesterday during which police resorted to firing of tear gas shells and arrest of activists.
CPI members today shouted slogans demanding repeal of AFSPA, introduction of Inner Line Permit to check influx of immigrants and other issues.
Other Left parties like All India Forward Block, also supported the bandh . Some educational institutes were closed down. Banking institutes, oil depots, government offices remained opened. Inter state passenger bus services did not operate. In the market areas most of the shops were closed down. There was no report of any untoward incident.
Owing to the bandh most market places in Imphal city wore a deserted look whereas normal traffic movement was not disturbed except slight reduction in the traffic volume as besides city buses, inter-district buses stayed off the road for the day.
However, auto and other taxi service vehicles and private vehicles were seen moving as usual during the bandh hour.
Some schools in the outskirt of the Imphal city remained close for the day even though educational institutions in Imphal area opened as usual.
The CPI, Manipur State Council had called the 12-hour general strike from 5 am to 5 pm today protesting against excessive action of the police against leaders and workers of the party when a protest rally targeting to storm the state Assembly complex was foiled at the very start of the rally near the party office at Irawat Bhavan, Imphal yesterday.
Yesterday, police personnel have foiled the rally by using tear gas shells and other mob ammunition devices resulting to the injury of a CPI worker in his right leg after being hit by a mob bomb. Injured Maibam Sanahanbi Singh (35) who was immediately rushed to RIMS hospital where he is currently under medical treatment.
Meanwhile in the state Assembly during zero hour Th Shyam said government should not use powerful bombs while dealing with people.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/cpi-strike-partially-affects-life/
