The Manipur government has suspended mobile internet services in the state for the next five days after fresh incidents of violence were reported in Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts during protests by tribal groups. The tribals have been taking out rallies in all the ten hill districts to oppose moves for inclusion of the majority Meitei community in the ST category.
Earlier in the day, thousands of tribals turned up at a 'Solidarity March' called by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM).
The Meiteis who make up 53 per cent of the state's population inhabit the Manipur valley, which accounts for about a tenth of the former princely state's land area, and claim that they are facing difficulty in view of "large scale illegal immigration by Myanmarese and Bangladeshis".
The hill districts which account for much of the state's land are inhabited mostly by tribals - including the Nagas and Kukis. They are largely protected from encroachment by valley people by various laws.
In Naga-dominated Senapati town, the district headquarters with the same name and located about 58 km from the capital town of Imphal, the local bodies forced total shutdown of markets and suspension of public transport from 10 am to 1 pm to ensure that maximum number of demonstrators participate in the rally.
At Churachandpur, the second largest town in the state, people defied prohibitory orders and gathered at the public ground and took a rally till Tuibong peace ground to show their support to ATSUM.
Meanwhile, counter blockades were put up in the valley districts, including at Sugnu in Kakching district, in support of granting ST status to Meiteis. Protesters shouted slogans demanding ST status for the majority community as well as for protection of reserved and protected forests.
With PTI inputs