Trucks and other commercial vehicles were off the road in Manipur as the indefinite economic blockade imposed by the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) began on Monday. This is in furtherance of the long-standing demand of the tribals for a discussion on the Autonomous District Council Bill, 2021.
Thousands of commercial vehicles are stranded along the mountain highways and no empty trucks left Imphal for lifting various commodities from Assam.
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren, who had held some rounds of meetings with the tribal organisations, says that Parliament and not the State Government was the authority to take action on it. However, ATSUM says that the present demand is summoning of a special session of the Manipur Assembly to discuss the Bill and send recommendations to the Parliament.
However, civil bodies in the valley districts are against this Bill saying that “Manipur will be Balkanised” and will help create a government within a government. In a statement, the United Committee Manipur said that all preparations were on to oppose this Bill.
The ATSUM called a total shutdown for 24 hours beginning November 19 midnight. Some other tribal bodies did not join the agitation with the leaders saying that Manipur was limping back slowly to normality from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and it was not in the interest of the people to impose shutdowns.
The economic blockade has affected the Imphal Mao, the Imphal Moreh and the Imphal Jiribam highways which are the lifelines of this State which has no rail lines. Members of the ATSUM and the Kuki Students Organisation are enforcing the blockade at several places.
P. Lupheng, president of the ATSUM, says the blockade will not be called off till the demand is conceded. The blockade is bound to adversely impact the prices of all commodities further after the steep hike people faced during the COVID-19 lockdown. Besides, the public transport fare was also increased without Government approval as a result of the fuel price hike.
