Imphal , May 9 : After targeting employees in the banking and hospitality sectors, militants in Manipur are now targeting stone crushers who work as a daily labourers in the state.
On April 30, a large number of stone crushers troubled by frequent extortion demands by militant outfits staged a sit in protest along the National Highway 39.
The protest was organized under the aegis of Northern valley stone crushers owner's welfare association. The association submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister requesting him to address the issue and to provide protection to the labourers from the anti social elements.
"We all are working here as stone crushers and there have money related demands from the militants. We are scared and we do not know what to do.
So we have stopped working. On behalf of my stone crusher association I request the government to resolve the problem as soon as possible," Budha Singh, owner, stone crusher's association
The association disclosed that 14 splinter groups of a militant outfit have been demanding a large amount of money from them. In 2009 insurgents abducted four laborers including a driver for ransom.
On April 11, insurgents released two members of the stone crusher community after keeping them in captivity for many days. They were also abducted for ransom.
Most of these stone crushers are daily wage labourers and every single day of protest means no work for them. "I am working here as a stone crusher.
Earlier I didn't know that the militants had been demanding money from our cashier. But when I came to know about it we stopped work. I am very unhappy as we are working here for our daily bread," said Laishram Kiranbala Devi, a laborer.
Extortion by the militant outfits in Manipur has affected all sections of the society.
0 comments:
Post a Comment