Imphal: With protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill raging in Manipur, an indefinite curfew has been imposed in the Imphal East and Imphal West districts since Monday night. Mobile internet services have been suspended indefinitely across Manipur. The move came as a pre-emptive measure after the Rajya Sabha Business Advisory Committee listed the bill in the revised list of business for Tuesday, but could not take it up after the House was adjourned till Wednesday.Security was stepped up and police put up barricades at all strategic locations across Imphal. Police also made frequent announcements, asking people to stay indoors as restrictions under Section 144 have been put into effect.Civil society bodies, Peoples’ Alliance Manipur (PAM) and Manipur People Against Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 (MANPAC) have been spearheading the protests against the bill in the state. A 36-hour bandh, called by 72 civil society organizations under PAM, has been in effect across the state from Monday morning. Anti-bill protesters took part in the black flag rallies and blocked roads by putting up barricades and burning tyres in the Meitei-dominated valley districts of Manipur of Monday. These protests continued on Tuesday with women vendors at the Ima Market in Imphal still staging a sit-in against the proposed legislation.On Tuesday, protests against the bill were held in the valley districts of Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching and Jiribam. Women protesters staged roadblocks and formed human chains, burning effigies of PM Narendra Modi. At Thoubal, a large number of women blocked the Imphal-Moreh highway and demanded resignation of all the 60 MLAs.Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh and his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Pema Khandu met Union home minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on Monday and urged the Centre not to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha. Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju was also present in the meeting. The two chief ministers, during the meeting, conveyed to Rajnath the sentiments of the northeast people against the bill. The home minister, in turn, assured them that the Centre “stands with the people of the northeast and will address all concerns related to the bill”.A delegation of political parties from Manipur also met Rajnath and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav and urged them not to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha.Meanwhile, a Congress delegation headed by former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and party president Gaikhangam on Tuesday staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the withdrawal of the bill. MANPAC has urged the Congress to not stage a walkout and oppose the bill when it is tabled in the Rajya Sabha. Congress has already issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha members asking them to be present when the bill is tabled and oppose the proposed legislation.

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