Earlier in the day, before it was called off, volunteers were seen blocking the highway at Kalapahar and Gamgiphai enforcing the total shutdown.
TFM Kangpokpi Representative
The 24 hours total shutdown called by the Asian Highway Land Affected Chairmen/Chiefs Association along with various student bodies including TSA Sadar Hills and AMGSU waa called off on Friday afternoon at around 5 pm following assurance from chief minister and Kangpokpi AC MLA Nemcha Kipgen to settle the issue of land acquisition along the NH-2 latest by July 5.
Earlier in the day, before it was called off, volunteers were seen blocking the highway at Kalapahar and Gamgiphai enforcing the total shutdown. Except for those exempted from the purview of the bandh, all other vehicles were sent back by the volunteers.
The protestors display a giant banner inscribed with their demands such as “We want fair compensation (Land Acquisitions Act, 2013)”, “Scrap/nullify 3A and 3D order/notification for land acquisition”, “We reject 3A and 3D notification for land acquisition”, “Declare Kangpokpi District as un-surveyed land”, “Valley district administration has no authority on the hill District”, “No justice no work on NH-2”.
Despite the lockdown and curfew induced by COVID-19 pandemic, a mammoth crowd of land affected victims congregated at Kalapahar and Gamgiphai helping the bandh volunteers in enforcing the total shutdown.
Kangpokpi police under the supervision of newly posted SP Karthik Malladi had a hard time controlling and monitoring the huge crowd while ensuring a peaceful environment along the national highway.
However, a confrontation erupted at Kalapahar with the arrival of ADGP Ashutosh Kumar Sinha with additional forces from Imphal including commandos. The ADGP who came in a civil dress lathicharged the bandh volunteers including women protesters.
One of the land affected victims from Kalapahar, Reuben Shankar said that the government’s policy of forcefully snatching away our land for expansion of the highway will not work as “we will never give even an inch of our land unless our rightful demands are fulfilled”.
He urged the state government not to be adamant over the genuine demands of the AHLAVCCA rather resolved the issue earlier before things turn into an ugly route.
At Gamgiphai, Helen Kipgen maintained that all peaceful approaches to resolve the issue had been neglected by the state government compelling them to resort to an extreme movement.
He recalled that following their application, DC Kangpokpi had issued a notification on June 3, 2020, for a joint survey and accordingly a joint survey had been conducted but scandalously rejected by the government and rather declared most of the land as government’s land.
Then, under the aegis of AHLAVCCA, several objections had been submitted but the government failed to entertain the objections which compelled them to resort to a democratic form of agitation, however, the government remained adamant, he added.
“Therefore, we finally decided to impose a total shutdown to show our disappointment over the step-motherly treatment and protest against the government’s policy of forcefully declaring our lands as Government land,” he added.
Helen Kipgen also urged the state government to immediately look into the matter and resolve the issue sooner than later while adding that the highway expansion issue could escalate beyond expectation if not solved early.
He further warned that a more intense form of agitation including an economic blockade will be imposed if all the previous orders or notifications of the government in connection with the land acquisition are not scrapped or nullified and a “fair and joint” survey is conducted and fair compensation is paid to all the affected victims.
“We’ll die with Corona but we will not let our land snatch away”, he added.
A woman protester at Kalapahar said that the total shutdown mended by volunteers and land-affected victims was very peaceful until additional security forces from Imphal came and dispersed them in a very rude manner.
She said that the additional security force from Imphal including commandos led by an ADGP even lathicharged a few of the women protestors.
Chongpi from Keithelmanbi said that nothing went wrong until ADGP Ashutosh Kumar Sinha along with commandos and state police came from Imphal displaying the security force high handedness by lathicharge who even did not spare the women protestors.
“I am also one of the victims among many others. The ADGP was not in uniform while on duty and indulging such lathicharge to women protestors. Such uncivilized character on the part of a high-ranking police officer is never expected”, she added.
While conveying her disappointment, she appealed to the authorities concerned not to send such a police officer to monitor and control the crowd in the future to avoid misunderstanding.
The ADGP himself and the security personnel were seen dispersing the crowd by resorting to lathicharge at Gamgiphai and Kalapahar, while women folk at Kalapahar stormed the security forces demanding an apology from the ADGP.
Later, the ADGP tender apology to the women protestors for the lathi charging against them.
Meanwhile, AHLAVCCA decided to call off its 24 hours total shutdown at 5 pm on Friday following an assurance from the Chief Minister Office and the local MLA (Kangpokpi AC) Nemcha Kipgen.
With the personal assurance from chief minister and 50 Kangpokpi AC MLA Nemcha Kipgen to settle the issue of land acquisition along the NH-2 latest by July 5, the association, in good faith, called off the 24 hours bandh, said AHLAVCCA secretary Semson Kipgen.
He however warned that the association will take more stringent forms of agitation in case CM Biren and the government fails to bring an acceptable solution on the issue.
Meanwhile, AHLAVCCA conveyed gratitude to all CSOs and student bodies including All Manipur Gorkha Students’ Union, Manipur and Thadou Students’ Association, Sadar Hills for their relentless support and cooperation.