Guwahati: The situation in the Churachandpur district of Manipur remained grim on Saturday after unidentified miscreants torched the Forest Range Officer building in the Tuibong area at midnight, despite the night curfew. Over half a dozen fire tenders had to be pressed into service to douse the fire. Properties to the tune of lakhs and scores of important official documents turned into ashes in the fire.
To control the situation and prevent the reoccurrence of more such incidents of violence, the Churachandpur district administration has imposed a night curfew in the district, from 5 pm to 5 am, with effect from Saturday, until further orders. The district administration has also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC.
On the other hand, the suspension of mobile internet services will remain in the district until further orders.
The situation turned even worse after fresh clashes erupted between the demonstrators and police personnel in the Churachandpur town area on Friday night.
The Manipur police and the personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) had to use batons, fire rubber bullets, and lob tear gas shells to disperse the demonstrators.
CONGRESS SLAMS BJP
Meanwhile, political reactions have started pouring in with the opposition Congress criticising and blaming the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government for the whole incident.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday took to Twitter blaming the BJP for the violence besides accusing the ruling saffron party of bulldozing the rights of the indigenous communities in the state.
The Congress President further tweeted, “The situation in BJP-ruled Manipur is disturbing. Violence is no solution to any issue. Law and Order has been completely derailed in the State under the double-engine government.”
“The BJP is hell-bent to trample and bulldoze the rights of vulnerable indigenous communities. We strongly condemn it, Kharge said,” he said.
Trouble started in the district when an angry mob vandalised and set on fire the program venue of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh where he was scheduled to inaugurate a gym and sports facility on Friday. Video footage showed massive crowds breaking chairs and other properties at the facility. The mob also damaged and put on fire sports equipment of the newly constructed gym.
The mob violence was reportedly led by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum, which objected to the BJP-led state government's survey of reserved and protected forest areas besides the wetlands in the state. Moreover, the forum accused the state government of having demolished a few churches in the state.
The forum stated in a statement that it was compelled to carry out a non-cooperation movement against the state government and started to obstruct the official programs. On the other hand, the Kuki Students' Organisation also lent its support to the forum accusing the Manipur government of showing a stepmotherly attitude toward the tribal population of the state.
The state government earlier this month had reportedly demolished three churches in Manipur stating that those were 'illegally constructed'.