AITUC, Manipur office union secretary general secretary L Sotinkumar on Saturday announced that an affidavit demanding the Centre to set up and deploy National Highway Protection Force along the National Highways in Manipur will be submitted to the Prime Minister.
Speaking to the media at AITUC, Manipur office union, he said that a team from All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Manipur will be taking part in the hunger strike at Ram Leela Maidan, New Delhi on January 18.
The team will be leaving Imphal on 16 January and will submit an affidavit to the Prime minister and home minister regarding the plights incurred by daily wage earners in Manipur since the crisis erupted, he said.
“Cases of extortion and abduction of drivers have been a problem even before the crisis erupted. We have met with the governor regarding this issue,” he said.
He informed that the governor had given consent to the demand and had assured to talk with the security advisor regarding the issue. The governor assured to extend all possible aid from her side, he added.
Sotinkumar highlighted that out of all the people, the daily wage earners in Manipur had also been greatly hit by the conflict.
“The conflict has pushed many Meitei drivers and helpers to switch jobs for their bread. Many good-laden trucks owned by Meiteis are still stranded along the national highway,” he said.
He maintained that the conflict has been filled with tales of grief and loss with thousands still in relief camps.
“The heavy deployment of central forces and their occupation of several schools and colleges had severely hampered the education of numerous students,” he said. He further stated that the affidavit would mainly touch on all these issues and demand the central authorities to restore peace swiftly.
