14-hour general strike called in Manipur on Tuesday

A 14-hour general strike has been called in Manipur on Tuesday by Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System to press its demand for introducing an effective bill for implementation of restriction on visitors from outside to the state.

The strike which will start at 5 am will coincide with the curfew relaxation hours. Notices by the authorities of Imphal East and West districts said the prohibitory order, which entered its sixth day today, would be relaxed between 5 am and 4 pm on Tuesday.

The general strike would be the second in a week by JCILPS, which in its release asked the state government to "Give up the habit of waking up to the public issues only when there were violent protests."

The state government in the face of growing protests, which had spread to districts beyond Greater Imphal, withdrew on Monday the controversial Manipur Regulation of Visitors and Migrant Workers Bill, 2015, meant for the protection of the interests of indigenous people.

A Manipur cabinet meeting decided to convene a special session of the assembly on Wednesday to discuss the withdrawal of the bill.

A student was killed in confrontation between the protesters and the police on July 8, which led to the imposition of the indefinite curfew. Since then protesters have defied the prohibitory orders everyday to stage sit-ins, take out processions and clash with the police.

Women's organisations sat in protest in the districts as well as the capital town but there were no report of any major clash with the police from anywhere in the state.

JCILPS said imposition of curfew and closure of educational institutions would not thwart the movement for Inner Line Permit System and on the contrary intensify it.

While appreciating the people's support to its movement, JCILPS in its release appealed to the protesters not to harass mediamen and persons in health services.