Manipur Erupts in Mass Protests against Citizenship Bill

Imphal, December 9, 2019:

Ahead of the tabulation of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament on Monday, Manipur has erupted in mass protests yet again.

Supporting the movement against the Bill spearheaded by the Manipur People Against CAB (MANPAC), a large mass of protesters came out into the streets of Imphal.

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Not to be left behind ,women vendors of a temporary market in the capital city have also staged a sit-in against the proposed legislation.

The women vendors of the Panthoibi temporary market at Khwairamban Keithel stopped their daily work and joined the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, a market committee official said.

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The city police dismantled the 'shamiyana' (tent), set up by the women agitators and dispersed them to stop their movement, a senior officer said.

Convenor of MANPAC, Yumnamcha Dilip, has said that people would continue to oppose the contentious bill. The agitators have already intensified their protests from Sunday midnight, as the Centre is likely to introduce the bill in Parliament on Monday despite stiff opposition by various organisations in the Northeast Indian region.

Although Chief Minister N Biren Singh has assured the people of the state that Manipur will be exempted from the Bill, through ILP or some other provisions, the protesting bodies are demanding a complete withdrawal of the Bill, which is being seen as a 'demography changer' in the Northeast.

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