CHANDEL, June 18: ‘The Govt of India and Manipur must understand the aspiration of the Naga people to live together under a single administrative unit and expedite the process of creating an Alternative Arrangement which is a legitimate of the Naga people’, demanded finance secretary Naga Women Union, Chandel Tungshil.
She was speaking to the local media at Thamlapokpi village where hundreds of bandh supporters continued to block the NH-102 for the second day of the UNC called 48-hour total bandh in Naga inhabited areas, today.
She said both the Centre and the State should understand the demand is genuine and must be fulfilled soon.
Taking part in the second day of the bandh, general secretary, NWUC SK Shangring Lamkang protested the decision of the government ‘to form Village Development Council by suppressing the indigenous rights and culture of the tribal people.’
She advocated strengthening and empowering the Village Authority Act 1956 by amendment instead of the Village Development Council.
It might be mentioned that as part of the UNC called 48-hour total bandh in the hills, the CNPO in support of the UNC had enforced the bandh in Chandel district beginning from mid night June 16. The bandh is by and large peaceful and there has been no report of any untoward incident. The bandh will conclude from midnight tonight.