Manipur violence: Women vendors lose cool over PM Modi's silence, announces mass protest on July 19

Condemning the stoic silence of prime minister Narendra Modi and the inability of Amit Shah to end the two-month-old crisis, women vendors demanded pre-merger political status.

On July 15, a large number of women vendors staged a protest at Khwairamband Ima Market condemning the central leaders for not addressing the ongoing unrest. The protest was organised by Khwairmaband Ima Keithel Joint Co-ordinating Committee for Peace. 

Addressing the media at the sidelines of the protest, one of the protestors, Huirem Binodini Devi said that the present conflict has been continuing for the past two months allegedly incited by armed miscreants. But unfortunately, central leaders didn’t utter a single word and didn’t listen to the voice of the people of Manipur to date. The silence of the government of India made them feel very sad. 

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“The stoic silence by prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah provoked us to feel that we are not a citizen of India. The central leaders should listen to our voice if we are citizens of India. Now our sense of nationality is in the stage of confusion. So, we would like to separate Manipur from the Government of India and restore pre-merger political status,” she demanded while stating that PM Modi and Amit Shah should stop watching the present unrest of Manipur as drama.
 
She continued and informed that a mass protest will be held on July 19 which will be joined by people of all communities Naga, and Meitei Muslims except Kuki. 

She said that the plantation of poppy in the state destroy the forest and spoil the life of many youths of Manipur. Now the state is again facing conflict allegedly initiated by armed miscreants. Losing the life of many youths in conflict and drug menace has reached an intolerable limit. 

She also condemned state MLAs for not revealing their concrete stand on stopping the conflict. 

On the other hand, the women vendor organisation, Lukmai Sellup also demanded central forces to perform their duties without any bias. The protestor also highlighted how poppy cultivation impacted society and the environment. 

During the protest, the protestors used ply card that reads enforce state forces at Moreh, open relief camp for Meitei at Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh, arrange resettlement of Meitei at Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh.