Mobile internet shut down for 5 days in Manipur after violence during tribal protest | Latest News India

GUWAHATI. The Manipur government on Wednesday banned mobile internet services in the state for five days following reports of clashes in various parts of the northeastern state.

The decision came on a day when thousands of people took part in a solidarity march organized by tribal groups in all 10 hill districts of the state to oppose the move to include the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. Protesting groups led by All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) also forced a shutdown in these areas from 6 am to 4 pm.

“During this rally and total shutdown, there are reports of incidents like fighting between volunteers/youths of different communities and the situation is tense and volatile in Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts,” H. Gyan Prakash, Commissioner (Home). to read

The order, seen by HT, said some “anti-social elements” were using social media to spread images, hate speech and hate videos “inciting public passions”. It added that such actions could incite the public and have “serious consequences for law and order”.

The order stated that there is an imminent threat of loss of life and damage to public and private property, as well as to disrupt the “projects and activities of anti-national and anti-social elements” and mobile internet services to maintain peace and tranquility; discontinued in Manipur.

Earlier, thousands of members of tribal communities took part in a solidarity march in 10 hill districts. ATSUM, which organized the march, said it was done to oppose the inclusion of Meiteis in the ‘ST’ category. Metis constitute about 53% of Manipur’s population and are based mainly in the Imphal Valley.

The hill dwellers believe that reservation in Meiteis will deprive them of government jobs and admissions in educational institutions as the latter will cut a large portion of the reservation. The current flashpoint is over the April 14 order of the Manipur high court asking the state government to submit its recommendations within four weeks “preferably” to include Meiteis in the ST category.

News agency PTI reported that in the Naga-dominated town of Senapati, headquarters of the district of the same name, which is about 58 km from the capital city of Imphal, local authorities forced the complete closure of markets and suspension of public transport from 10 am to 1 am. h., in order to ensure the maximum participation of protesters in the rally. A large number of tribals, who constitute about 40% of the state’s population and include Nagas and Kukis communities among others, joined the marches, waved placards and raised their voice against the ST status of Meitei community.

In Churachandpur, the state’s second largest city, people defied prohibitory orders and gathered in a public place and demonstrated as far as Thuybong Peace Square to show their support for ATSUM, police said. Prohibitory orders in the city went into effect indefinitely last week following violent protests against the eviction of villagers from restricted forest areas.

Security forces from other parts of Manipur were rushed to the city to control the situation after the vandalism at the venue where Chief Minister N Biren Singh was to address a programme.

According to PTI, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state till early evening.

The Scheduled Tribes Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM), which is spearheading the movement to include Meiteis in the ST category, said the demand is not only for reservation in jobs, educational institutions and tax benefits, but “more to protect our ancestral land, culture and identity’ which they claimed was ‘threatened by illegal migration from Myanmar, Bangladesh and people from outside the state’.