Manipur women groups protest lifting of prohibition on alcohol

Imphal: Various organisations continue to voice their protests against the Manipur government’s decision on lifting the prohibition on sale and consumption of liquor in the state.

On Thursday, women protestors, including senior citizens, gathered at THAU Ground Gate in Thangmeiband in Imphal West and staged a sit-in demonstration, registering their protest against the cabinet decision on legalising the sale, consumption and brewing of alcohol in the state.

Organised by the All Manipur Women’s Social Reformation and Development Samaj (Nupi Samaj), Khunthokhanbi Nishaband, College Gate, Thau Meira Paibi, and Thanil, the protestors demanded the state government to revoke the cabinet’s decision on the legalisation of alcohol in the state.

“We are sitting here today in protest against the state government’s decision on legalisation of alcohol. Through this movement, we are trying to save the lives of our children because they are the pillars of our nation,” Khundrakpam Indu Devi, advisor of Nupi Samaj told EastMojo.

Nupi Samaj was officially formed in 1978 and since then the women’s organisation has been working relentlessly to ban the consumption of liquor.

Holding placards with slogans like ‘Do not legalise liquor in Manipur’, ‘We are against Cabinet decision on legalising alcohol’, ‘No to liquor legalisation’, the women groups were registering their protest. Later, the women protestors took to the street and marched towards Khuyathong.

“We have been very progressive in our movement till now. We are staging sit-in-protest in various places like local clubs and Meira Paibis (Mothers’ groups) are also supporting the movement,” said Geetchandra Mangang, secretary general, Coalition against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA).

Geetchandra further informed that the government has invited CADA and the mothers’ group for talks on legalisation. “We refused the proposal because they failed to produce the white paper on this matter so that we can discuss the merits and demerits of lifting of prohibition with the public,” he added.

The government has ignored our demands till now, he further alleged.

The anti-alcohol movement group warned of intense agitations in case the state fails to address the matter and revoke the cabinet decision.

“We will further intensify our agitations to revoke the decision of the government and we will also try to take forward this movement not only in a democratic manner but in other forms,” Geetchandra said.

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