KSO calls off bandh

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI | Jan 7

The proposed 36 hours total shutdown announced by KSO Sadar Hills along National Highway 2 which was scheduled to begin at 6 am tomorrow has been relaxed following the government assurance to hold talks with the student body tomorrow morning.

However, the 36 hours total shutdown will begin automatically the next morning from 6 am if the talks fail tomorrow said the student body.

The decision to relax the proposed total shutdown was taken by the student body after social welfare minister Nemcha Kipgen and YAS minister Letpao Haokip intervened into the matter and initiated to hold talks with the chief minister tomorrow morning over the demands of the student body.

The student body had decided to impose 36 hours total shutdown along National Highway 2 in connection with the controversial National Sports University which allegedly created misunderstanding among the local people of L. Tangnaum village in Kangpokpi District and its neighbouring villages in Imphal West District over land dispute.

It had announced on December 22 its decision to impose the total shutdown last so as to give the denizen of Manipur to revise their respective travel plan and reiterated its decision to go ahead with the shutdown.

Speaking to media persons late in the afternoon, Thangminlen Kipgen, president KSO Sadar Hills said the National Sports University issue has been with intent neglected by the state government which has now become a threat to the mutual understanding and love among the hill people and valley while adding that many unfortunate incident had already occurred in past over the issue and the recent one being on December 16 last year where villagers of Senjam Chirang and Senjam Khunou had burnt down the wooden bridge, the only lifeline of L. Tangnaum village.

He further said that even after that ugly incident the BJP led coalition government failed to address the grievances of L. Tangnaum village, whose only connectivity had been burnt down in broad daylight, be it on humanitarian ground or be a fellow citizen of the state even after a week of the incident which compelled the KSO to reconstruct the bridge and inaugurated on December 22.

He reiterated that the reconstruction of the bridge is a message to the state government that they are not the only source of our livelihood that we can manage thing on our own if the need arises and it is also to exhibit our protest against the government negligence and discriminatory attitude.

“To show our protest against the negligence of the state government to resolve the issue and the discriminatory attitude towards the people of L. Tangnaum village in particular and Kangpokpi district as a whole took the decision to impose the bandh in a joint meeting of CSOs” asserted Thangminlen Kipgen.

He also expressed anticipate on the part of the state government to bring amicable solution during tomorrow talks in the interest of the people.