Members of a women's group staged demonstrations in five valley districts of Manipur over the weekend, calling for the withdrawal of a legal notice issued by the Assam Rifles to a prominent politician. The Committee on Mass Protest against Assam Rifles organized sit-ins in protest of the paramilitary force's legal notice served to Maheshwar Thounaojam, the national secretary of the Republican Party of India (RPI-Athawale), citing harm to the organization's reputation.
Women from various communities assembled in significant numbers, taking to the streets in multiple locations across Imphal West and Imphal East districts, including Uripok, Singjamei, Keisampat, Keismathong, Wangkhei, and Khurai. Protests also unfolded in Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur districts, where women brandished placards and chanted slogans in opposition to the Assam Rifles' actions, PTI reported.
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The demonstrators, aligning themselves with the People's Disobedience Movement, extended their call for change beyond this specific issue. N Sharmila, a member of the organizing committee, urged employees of both central and state governments to cease attending offices, highlighting the government's perceived neglect of the violence in Manipur since May 3.
A participant in the demonstration, A Shantilata, expressed strong disapproval of the legal notice served to Thounaojam, emphasizing his role as a politician who consistently advocated for Meitei villagers affected by unprovoked attacks.
The Assam Rifles issued the legal notice on August 18, accusing Thounaojam of tarnishing the organization's reputation and undermining the morale of the central armed police force. In response, Thounaojam defended his right to free speech in a democratic country like India and declined to apologize. The Assam Rifles demanded a written and public apology, along with a retraction of statements made by Thounaojam at the 'Condolence of Meitei Martyrs' event in Delhi on June 30.
