While skipping the celebration of International Day of Yoga, protests in Manipur’s Thoubal district on June 21 burnt effigies of prime minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh.
While burning the effigies, the protesters shouted “No International Yoga Day”, “We condemn our PM’s silence”, etc.
Earlier, hundreds of protesters, mostly women, staged a demonstration on the street along NH-102 near Thoubal Mela ground in Thoubal district headquarters.
Placards displayed during the demonstration read, “No Yoga Day in Manipur”, “We condemned PM’s silence”, “We support Democracy”, “Withdraw SoO”, “Flush out Kuki militants”, etc.
The protesters then gathered at Thoubal Mela Ground and torched the effigies of the prime minister, Union home minister and state chief minister.
They burnt the effigies after garlanding and hitting them with sandals.
The demonstration was carried out under the aegis of the ‘Thoubal Apunba Lup (PAL)’, an apex body of as many as 30 different clubs, organizations and local women bodies (Meira Paibis).
The demonstration was held to condemn the prime minister’s silence even after 48 days since the eruption of violence in the state and more than 100 people died and injured hundreds besides rendering displacing thousands after their homesteads were torched.
Talking to reporters on the sideline of the demonstration, Sanjenbam Sorojini Devi, a protester, said that the state is burning for the last 48 days and Narendra Modi, the prime minister of this largest democracy, has said nothing about the turmoil in Manipur.
Since the violence unfolded in the state, his Mann Ki Baat has been broadcast two times. But, on all the occasions, he did not mention about the turmoil in Manipur.
It is the sign of neglecting the state (Manipur) by the prime minister. He took the burning issue of the state lightly, the protester alleged.
Instead of intervention to end the violence in the state, he (prime minister) visited the US to attend the celebration of International Day of Yoga there and to spread his message of peace and harmony around the globe.
“When he chooses to remain silent about the violence in a region of his country, how can he spread the message of peace and harmony in the globe,” she asked.
His silence over the Manipur issue is highly condemnable. His silence showed Centre’s attitude of neglecting the people of the region, she added.
