The Manipur State Panchayat Parishad (MSPP) staged a sit-in protest cum rally on Monday demanding the release of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) funds on time.
Apart from that the MSPP also demanded conducting the sixth general panchayat election and devolution of power to panchayat in Manipur.
The members of MSPP had also prepared to carry out a protest rally from Panchayat Bhawan in Porompat in Manipur's Imphal East district early today morning.
However, they were unable to proceed with their initial plans due to high security and had to change their protest site to Gram Panchayat of Khurai Chingangbam Leikai in Imphal East in Manipur.
Shouting slogans like 'Release MGNREGS Pending Fund' and 'Conduct Panchayat Election on Time', the protestors tried to march towards the Imphal East deputy commissioner's office, crossing the district SP office on their way in Manipur. However, they were stopped in their tracks by policemen along with the Imphal East SP who had come to control the situation.
The police prevented them from moving forward which led to a scuffle between the police forces and the protestors which went on for a while. The protestors later returned to their initial protest site in Manipur's Khurai Chingangbam Leikai. In the end, they had to call off the protest as police forces continued to keep a vigil in the surrounding areas.
One of the protestors, Naorem Pradip said that the agitation was not launched with the sole aim of targeting the Manipur government, but for speaking out against the constant violation of people's rights.
Pradip said that they have urged the government in Manipur several times before to release the MGNREGS funds that was pending, but their concerns fell on deaf ears. Moreover, the MSPP are still organising protests in Delhi regarding the matter.
According to Manipur State Panchayat Parishad, they are unable to pay the wages for job card holders as the funds have not been released by the concerned authoritites. In addition, the funds for material cost is also yet to be released by the Manipur government, added Pradip.
He also said that the Manipur cabinet had already decided on their demands however, the funds were never released. Pradip mentioned that it is unfortunate that the date for the sixth general panchayat elections is getting postponed again and again. The Manipur government must announce the final date of the elections, he further claimed.
It may be noted that the organization had recently warned that they would launch protests if the Manipur government failed to address their demands and take action in that regard at the earliest.
