Imphal, Feb 6: Normal life across Manipur’s Churachandpur district was severely affected on February 6 as tribal organisations enforced a total shutdown to protest the involvement of a Kuki-Zo legislator in the process of forming the state government, officials said. The bandh led to widespread disruption, particularly in the district headquarters and surrounding areas.
Supporters of the shutdown blocked roads at several points, restricting vehicular movement, while shops, markets and commercial establishments remained closed. Attendance in schools, colleges and government offices was reported to be minimal. The impact was most visible in the Tuibong area, where daily activity came to a near halt.
The 24-hour shutdown was called by the Churachandpur unit of the Kuki Students’ Organisation, beginning at midnight, while the Joint Forum of Seven enforced a parallel bandh from 6 am to 6 pm across Kuki-Zo inhabited areas. With tensions running high, authorities deployed additional security personnel at sensitive locations in and around the district headquarters to prevent further escalation.
Adding to the unrest, the Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights announced a mass rally later in the day, stating that the demonstration was aimed at opposing political developments that, according to the group, were unacceptable under the current situation in Manipur.
Tensions had already flared on Thursday evening when clashes erupted near the Tuibong forest gate between protesters and security forces. Officials said stone-pelting by demonstrators prompted security personnel to use baton charges and tear gas to disperse the crowd. The confrontation continued into the early hours of Friday, leaving at least two protesters injured.
Amid the volatile situation, the Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee representing Pherzawl and Jiribam districts cautioned against any attempt to threaten or harm MLA N. Sanate or damage his property. The committee said such actions would be viewed as an attack on the collective stand of tribal communities in the two districts and urged restraint.
The committee also appealed for unity among the Hmar, Kuki and Zomi tribes, stressing that recent political developments should not deepen divisions within tribal communities.
The protests were triggered by the visit of MLAs N. Sanate and L.M. Khaute to Imphal earlier in the week as part of an NDA delegation staking claim to form the government. Both legislators, along with Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen, also participated virtually in the seventh session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on Thursday, developments that have intensified political tensions in Churachandpur.
