Boycotting Mann Ki Baat, protesters at several parts in the valley districts of Manipur burnt radio sets on June 18 while pouring their discontentment with prime minister Narendra Modi’s silence over the violence that put the state unrest.
A large number of people came out on the streets in their respective localities and burnt the radio sets while shouting “Nahi chahiye Mann Ki Baat, we want peace,” among others.
During one of the protests staged along NH-102 at Singjamei, the protesters blocked the roads passing through the areas including the national highways. Passerby also joined the protest.
When not a single word about the violence unfolded in the state, the protesters shouted, hit the radios on the ground and torched.
Some placards displayed during the protest read: “We don’t want to listen to Maan ki Baat”, “We want peace,” “Why PM remains silent over Manipur violence,” etc.
They also shouted similar slogans while burning the radios.
Taking part in the protest, coordinator Khomdram Surendra of ‘Thawai Meerel’ strongly condemned prime minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the ongoing crisis in Manipur.
He said that the protest boycotting the Maan ki Baat was being organized to express strong discontentment when the prime minister did not say any word even after 45 days since the outbreak of the violence in the state.
“PM Modi doesn’t seem to care for the people of Manipur”, he said and added that as word about the violence unfolded in the state was mentioned by the PM, there is no need for listening to his talk.
He demanded that the PM and the Manipur chief minister should immediately find a solution to end the violence in the state. Delay in ending the violence will lead to a civil war in the region, he added.
In another protest at Kakching district headquarters, the protesters took out radios from their homes and destroyed them on the street near Kakching market.
The protesters said that as the prime minister stood firm to sideline Manipur’s issue, there was no need for listening to his words.
Similar protests boycotting the Mann Ki Baat and torching of radios were reported from several places across the valley districts in June 18.
