Much to the relief of officials, the banned Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), which served a quit notice on migrant workers, has now asked the people to persuade them to leave Manipur and not resort to violence. The underground organisation, with its bloody record, earlier set an April 30 deadline.
However, the government is not taking chances, say police sources. Security measures have been beefed up. Arrangements have been made to herd the migrants to safe places. Workers in and around Imphal have been asked not to stray out of well-protected city areas.
For years now Manipur has witnessed killings of migrant workers. However, it is not known for certain which group was behind the killings.
The RPF says the migrants who have settled in every nook and corner of the State are monopolising every trade and means of earning. Accordingly, this outfit asked all those who came and settled in Manipur after 1949 to leave. However, those who come for studies and services have been exempted from this “order.”
Regarding reports that there will be retaliations as Manipuri students are everywhere in the country, the RPF dismissed these as wrong propaganda.
However, it says, locals should use non- violent means to get non-Manipuris to quit the State. For instance, unemployed youth should start doing the jobs the migrants have been monopolising.
