Police pick up KB Sharma after his health deteriorated

IMPHAL, Jul 7: A team of Singjamei Police Station picked up KB Sharma who was on fast unto death for ILP this midnight from Kwakeithel Akham Leikai Imphal.

The 72years old KB Sharma is the advisor of Federation of Regional Indigenous Societies (FRIENDS), the prime mover of the ILP movement. Fast unto death agitation was launched on Friday. On the second day of his agitation demanding to pass the ILP in the current assembly session, the police team picked him up this mid-night on the advice of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi , an official source said.

He was then admitted to JN Hospital after his health deteriorated.

AIYF Agitation ILP
Police foiled a proposed rally of All India Youth Federation (AIYF) and All India Students’ Association (AISF) Manipur State Council to present a memorandum to the Chief Minister before a delegation was taken to hand over the memorandum.

Sharma's fast-unto-death for ILP entered the second day

Demanding implementation of inner line permit system in the State and monthly allowance to educated unemployed youths, volunteers of AIYF and AISF trooped out of BT road Irabot Bhavan complex to hand the memorandum at around 12.30 pm today.

However, large number of police personnel already at the location prevented the volunteers from marching out of Ira- bot Bhavan complex thereby resulting in a brief commotion.

It is said that apart from demands for enforcing ILP and allowance to the unemployed youths, the AIYF and AISF memorandum proposed academic calendar of no less than 214 days as is the current practice of Central Board of Se- condary Education.

Presently the State’s Board of secondary Education and Council of Higher Secondary have academic calendars of 180 and 160 days respectively.

To highlight these demands AIYF and AISF volunteers/activists holding placards and banners intended to march upto the CM’s bungalow.

even though the volunteers tried to drive home the point that the issues were in the interest of the general public, the police did not relent and took away the banners/placards.

Condemning police action against the democratic movement, AIYF state secretary Akham Kunjeshwor Khuman said the peaceful procession was meant to draw the attention of the CM for adopting a resolution in the ongoing assembly session with regard to provision of allowance to the educated unemployed youths. The other point mentioned in the memorandum included raising the age limit to 45 from the present 35 for candidates seeking Government jobs. with reference to the UP Government recently announcing Rs 1000 monthly allowance to unemployed youths, the joint representation urged for similar arrangement in Manipur too. While most of the volunteers were confined within Irabot Bhavan complex, some representatives of the Left parties’ frontal organisation were taken to the CM’s bungalow by a team of City police station to hand over the memorandum.

Cabinet discuss ILP demand
Taking serious note of the long standing demand for enforcement of Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) in Manipur, the State Cabinet today deliberated at length on the issue.

The meeting decided to convene a special Cabinet meeting on July 11 and take a concrete decision on the issue.

In the meantime, the State Government would also seek the Union Home Ministry’s opinion on the issue, informed a senior Minister.

Before the State Cabinet takes a decision, all the merits and demerits of the issue would be examined first.

The modality under which the ILPS is enforced in other States would also be studied.

Moreover, the State Government would send an official letter to the Union Home Ministry seeking its opinion on the issue.

Today’s Cabinet meeting was presided by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.