Imphal: An 18-hour `curfew` has been called by a students` committee in Manipur on Wednesday to prevent non-Manipuris from transacting business in the state to protest recent attacks, rape and killing of the people of the northeast in the national capital.
Convenor of the Joint Students` Coordinating Committee (JSCC) Thangjam Premananda told reporters that all non-Manipuri people in the state should close their shops, stop transacting business and remain indoors during the curfew which began from 5 AM.
He said it was "very shocking" that people from the northeast region were "not only ill treated but looked down" in the national capital and blamed the central and Delhi governments for their failure to protect people from the region.
A series of agitations would be launched soon if proper measures were not taken to protect the people from the region, he said, adding the death of Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, rape of a Manipuri girl, assault on two Manipuri youths and two girls showed that mainland people have no respect for the people from this region.
Accusing MPs from the region and Manipur government of "failing" to put maximum pressure on the central government, he said people in the region would not remain silent while their brothers and sisters were murdered or raped in the national capital.
JSCC has been formed by six major student bodies including All Manipur Students Union, Democratic Alliance of Students of Manipur and Manipuri Students Federation a few days ago.
