Imphal, Dec 5: A strict 48-hour total shutdown has gripped Kangpokpi district since midnight on December 3, severely disrupting daily life. Markets and shops remained shuttered, though schools and vehicular movement were exempt from the shutdown.

The shutdown, called by civil society organizations of Sadar Hills, comes in response to the Manipur government’s appeal for the resumption of public transport services along key routes: Imphal-Kangpokpi-Senapati and Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur.

Hundreds of Kuki-Zo women gathered at Gamgiphai, a strategically located village on the Kangpokpi-Imphal West border, to block any attempts at enforcing the government’s directive.

Ng. Lun Kipgen, spokesperson for the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), condemned the government’s move as “partisan and baseless.” He accused the Chief Minister of attempting to derail the Kuki-Zo movement, saying, “In his fourth desperate attempt, the Chief Minister is imposing vilified and unfounded ideas upon us, further exacerbating the divide.”

Kipgen called the directive “unwarranted and preposterous,” emphasizing that it undermines the Kuki-Zo community’s struggle for separate administration. The Kuki Inpi echoed these sentiments, describing the government’s push as a “reckless and insensitive” effort to restore public services without addressing the root political issues.

Read: Assam: Garo villagers protest against forest dept for destroying areca nut plantations in Boko

WATCH:

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub