The demand for removal of Assam Rifles from Manipur got louder as a large number of people on September 10 tried to storm the Manipur chief minister’s secretariat.
Men and women from various parts of Imphal converged in Singjamei along NH-102 and marched toward the chief minister’s secretariat.
A strong team of police and RAF, after a brief tussle, prevented the people from marching ahead before reaching the chief minister’s secretariat.
No major untoward incident occurred as top police officers who rushed to the spot convinced the people and allowed 30 women leaders to proceed and meet the chief minister.
After meeting with the chief minister, the women leaders told reporters that they had insisted the chief minister to withdraw all the units of the Assam Rifles from the state within September.
In response to the demand, the chief minister informed that the state government was considering a plan to replace the Assam Rifles with other paramilitary forces like the BSF.
However, the chief minister did not give a time-bound period to materialize the plan, Maibam Lingjelthoibi, a representative of Bamon Leikai Apunba Meira Paibi Lup said.
She said that the chief minister conveyed to them that the state government also strongly condemned the excesses meted out to the civilians by the Assam Rifles in various instances since the crisis unfolded in the state on May 3 last.
The chief minister further conveyed to them that the state government heard the voices of the people against the Assam Rifles and noted seriously the matter, she also said.
Meanwhile, womenfolk across Imphal have started their campaign to press state legislators and BJP leaders to address the demand for removal of the Assam Rifles from the state.
