A peaceful rally organised as an election campaign by supporters of intending candidate from Yaiskul assembly constituency Th Brinda was stopped by police on the grounds of not holding government permit.
As the supporters tried to take out the rally after holding a public meeting at her residence at Yaiskul Janmasthan on Sunday, the police personnel halted them, resulting in a clash between police and Th Brinda along with her supporters.
Speaking to the media after the confrontation, Brinda, who is yet to resign from her post as a cop, said that the request for the permit was submitted to the authority concerned to take out the rally. However, they declined to issue the permit over concerns of violating COVID-19 protocols and putting obstruction in movement of VVIPs, she said.
However, an election rally was being carried out in the neighbouring assembly constituency at the same time, she added. Not allowing her to stage a rally when it is allowed at other assembly constituencies shows the biasness of the state government, she added.
Concerning her resignation, she said, “I have not sought resignation yet but will apply for it shortly. Even the government itself broke the law, and it is evident with today's incident where forces were utilised against the public which was trying to take out a peaceful rally.”
She also declared to contest the election with the vision of uplifting the youth and the poor. “There is no prospect for jobs in the state except for government ones. Moreover, there is a trend of state governments selling jobs but not providing them,” she added.
Her motive to contest the election is to change the system, she said. During her stint as an executive officer, she could not perform her service due to political intervention, therefore, she decided to enter politics, Brinda said.
In the meantime, superintendent of police (SP), Imphal East, N Herojit said that the rally was blocked as they failed to produce permission from DCs of Imphal West and East.
He was speaking at a joint press conference organised by both SPs of Imphal East and West districts at the conference hall of SP Imphal West, Babupara, Imphal on Sunday.
Herojit said that he along with SP Imphal West had approached the DCs not to issue permissions for holding public meetings and other public gatherings in both districts by keeping in consideration that there may be movement of VVIPs in the state.
The state police have been giving security services including arrangement of traffic if the organisers took permission from the DCs concerned to hold public meetings or any other gathering, he said. In this case, Thounaojam Brinda failed to produce such permissions and therefore, the state police blocked the rally, he added.
He appealed to the general public to take proper permission from the DCs or authority concerned before organising a public gathering or public meeting.
While organising the rally, the election campaigners of the intending candidate were seen trying to carry the Indian National flag.
Responding to a query, the SP Imphal West said as per protocols issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), use of the national flag in rallies of political parties is not allowed.
