Ritam Banati
Imphal: Manipur boiled with rage and witnessed massive protests when crowds of people thronged the streets to condemn the police firing in a 2008 fake encounter which claimed an innocent life. The frenzy was noticed even among women who covered the streets with rallies.
The fury was caused because of last year`s fake encounter which had claimed the life of alleged militant 27-year-old Sanjit at the Imphal Market Complex The police commandos had also shot dead a pregnant lady. Considerable hue and cry was raised after this.
A judicial probe was ordered on Aug 28th.
The police version of the story was that Sanjit was a militant.
But an apex body of social organisations and other outfits condemned this and demanded Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh’s resignation whom they accused him of state-sponsored terrorism.
Subsequently shoot at sight orders were announced and curfew was clamped.
Eventually the Chief Minister had to order a probe and suspend the six guilty cops. Therefore in the end, people’s writ did prevail.
The Tipaimukh dam was the centre of attention when the project became a bone of contention within and between India and Bangladesh. The two countries were at loggerheads over the controversial dam project.
Indian government is for implementation of the same as it would prove beneficial for the North-East. However the people came out in huge numbers expressing their disenchantment. In Bangladesh too there were protests but due to the fear that the execution of the project can damage the region`s ecology.
Our neighbour fears that the move by India would seriously undermine Bangladesh’s national interests.
That country witnessed protest rallies by environmentalists and NGOs over this issue.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina put forth her country’s stand in front of PM Manmohan Singh. Singh assured her that subsequent measures would be taken on the basis of an understanding between the two countries.
The dam which is located across the border that Bangladesh shares with Manipur is 200 km away from the border, upstream on Barak river that flows into Bangladesh. The project is important for India and it remains to be seen what kind of compromise is reached between the two governments.
