State and Central forces during an operation following the heinous attack on civilians some days back, in Jiribam, Manipur.
Credit: PTI Photo
Guwahati: Ignoring CM N Biren Singh's appeal and large number of security forces, members of Co-ordination Committee on Manipur Unity (COCOMI), an apex body of several influential organizations representing the Meitei community, on Wednesday "shut down" several government offices in and around Imphal including the state secretariat.
The COCOMI enforced the "shutdown" programme alleging that the BJP-led government failed to fulfil its promise to act against the "Kuki insurgents," who had allegedly killed three Meitei women and three children in Jiribam recently. The committee has also been demanding withdrawal of AFSPA from areas under six police stations, which were re-imposed by the Centre on November 14 in view of the recent spurt in violence.
Violating the curfew, members of COCOMI locked several offices and asked the staff to abstain from their duties in order to put pressure on the government. "We had no option but to take up the shutdown programme as a meeting of the NDA MLAs assured to act against the militants within a week but they failed. We did not close the educational institutions and the emergency services. The drive will continue tomorrow also," Dhanakumar Meitei, a leader of COCOMI in Imphal told reporters on Wednesday.
The committee on Tuesday announced to "boycott" Home Minister Amit Shah till their demands are met.
The COCOMI has also been demanding abrogation of the Suspension of Operations agreement with 25 Kuki insurgent groups, which has remained in force since 2008.
Operations in Jiribam
Appealing COCOMI and other civil society organisations to halt their agitation, CM N. Biren Singh on Tuesday evening stated that an operation was already launched in Jiribam and the Centre also already handed over three cases related to the killings in Jiribam to the NIA as per the demands. "The government is not sitting idle. At least five companies of CRPF (more than 500 personnel) have been rushed to Jiribam after the fresh violence in order to nab those responsible for the killings." Singh, however, said a section was trying to destabilise the situation and play spoilsport to the steps taken by the government to restore peace.