Imphal: The Inner line permit monster still stalks Churachandpur town. It has sharply divided the hills and the valley. It doesn’t go away. Protests. Violence. Arson. Protesters set fire to two government offices at Churachandpur town in Manipur late Thursday afternoon . Now the death count has risen to eight in the on-going agitation over the passage of three bills.

Deputy chief minister Gaikhangam  appealed to the agitated hill people to ‘talk to the government.’ But the people say they elected representatives to speak for them in the House, and that those worthy men have failed them.

People in the five hill districts of Manipur have been agitating since August 31, the day a special session of the Assembly passed Protection of Manipur People Bill, Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill and Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill.

‘Settlers’ is how the valley people call the other hill tribes who are opposed to the bills. These people say the three Bills harmed the interests of the people in the hill districts.

The minister’s appeal came after the United Naga Council called a 48-hour national highway bandh from Thursday night against the three bills. It also flagged an Assembly resolution opposing any move to disintegrate Manipur while signing a final agreement with the NSCN (Isak-Muivah). The resolution was passed on August 31.

Trouble broke out on the night of August 31.Mobs attacked the houses of Congress MP Thangso Baite, health minister Phungzathang Tonsing and some Congress MLAs in the town. Four persons died that night.

The next day, three persons were killed in police firing when they attacked a police station. Yesterday the protesters burnt a government office and three mobile towers in the town.

One protester injured in police crackdown on Tuesday succumbed to his injuries at Churachandpur district hospital today, raising the toll to eight.

Gaikhangam made the appeal. Meanwhile people took out a rally in Churachandpur town. Defying curfew. They came in thousands. Demanding withdrawal of the bills. Shouting for a judicial inquiry into the incidents of firing .

There was no report oftrouble during the rally . “We have studied repeatedly the contents of the three bills and we do not find any provision that will harm the interests of the hill settlers. I am also from the hills. If the protesters point out to us the objectionable parts, the government is ready to rectify the provisions,” Gaikhangam said in Imphal.

He added that chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh had sent invitations to the citizens’ organisations in the hills to come and talk to the government to sort out misunderstandings and find a solution to their problems. So far there is no response, he added.

Ibobi Singh sent a team led by additional director-general of police (law and order) L.M. Khaute who is a local man from Churachandpur district, to meet citizens’ organisations there. “Citizens’ organisations are willing to talk to the government after meeting the official team,” Gaikhangam claimed.

Internet services continued to remain closed. Only BSNL services were working. Gaikhangam said these steps were taken to check the spread of provocative photographs and communal statements and rumours through social media .

In the valley, thousands took part in a funeral procession of Sapam Robinhood, a Class XI student who died in police crackdown on inner-line permit (ILP) supporters on July 8. Citizens’ organisations and the family accepted the body from a mortuary after the Assembly passed the three bills. The student dies in a protest to support the bills.

The body was buried at Awa Ching in Imphal East about 6km from here. The site, 5km from his Khurai home in Imphal East, was provided by the state government .

Schools and colleges in the valley, which remained closed since July 9, will reopen tomorrow.

  Inner line permit, Manipur, Northeast