Despite downpour meira rally staged

IMPHAL, May 23: Even as elaborate preparations were made to take out torch rallies at different places across Manipur valley, heavy downpour played spoilsport as heavy rain lashed the State starting from around 8.50 pm. Nonetheless, braving the downpour large groups of womenfolk took out torch rallies at Wangkhei, Kongba Bazar and Kongba Ucheckon.

As announced earlier by the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), the torch rallies were planned as part of the ongoing mass movement aimed at securing President’s assent to the three Bills passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 31 last year in order to protect all the indigenous people of Manipur from the onslaught of incessant influx. The JCILPS has been demanding establishment of population commission and land reforms commission as agreed between the committee and the State Government last year.