Imphal: Hey tourists, don’t plan any visits to Manipur this month! It’s chaotic. Long lines at fuel pumps. People rushing to stores and buying up as many staples they can lay hands on. Why? Kukis and Nagas are up in arms.

A 10-day blockade along Manipur’s feeder roads and another 48-hour bandh in the hill districts have triggered the fear of fuel scarcity in the state. Consumers have started queuing up in front of fuel pumps.

The government authorities and Indian Oil Corporation said there are enough fuel stocks. “There is no reason to queue up in front of petrol pumps. We have enough stock. We are also planning to provide security escorts for fuel tankers during the blockade,” an official of the state’s consumer affairs, food and public distribution said.

Militant outfit Kuki People Liberation Front (KPLF) called a 10-day blockade along Manipur’s supply lines – Imphal-Dimapur (National Highway 2) and Imphal-Jiribam (National Highway 37) highways, from midnight tonight to protest against the alleged neglect of the Kuki community by the Okram Ibobi Singh government.

The United Naga Council (UNC) has announced a 48-hour bandh in all the five hill districts from Thursday midnight protesting against the passing of Protection of Manipur People Bill, Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh Amendment) Bill and Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill. Hill inhabitants say that the bills, passed on August 31, are anti-tribal.

The UNC opposes Manipur Assembly’s resolution, adopted on the same day (August 31), to urge the Centre to amend Article 3 of the Constitution and make consent of affected states mandatory while forming a new state. This resolution was adopted to checkmate the NSCN (I-M)’s demand for integration of Naga-inhabited areas into Nagaland.

The two highways are the only two supply routes for Manipur. Any blockade disrupts all kinds of supply services.

Prepared by intern Debrata Roy from news reports

  Imphal, interns