Guwahati: The Manipur Government has imposed curfew in Imphal East and West districts and also suspended mobile internet services till February 16 amidst the protest against the citizenship bill.
District Magistrate Imphal West Naorem Praveen Singh has also barred local cable news channels from transmission due to the ongoing agitation and protest. He invoked powers under Section 19 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 to prohibit transmission or re-transmission of agitation, protest of any form, inflammatory speech or public discourse that may incite violence and/or any programme which may lead to breach of public peace and tranquility in the interest of the general public.
The decision of barring cable news has been taken since many rumours have been spread regarding the bill and the District Magistrate has to take the decision as the youths are emotional and he had to prevent the situation from burning up.
Meanwhile, Imphal East District Magistrate Chitra Devi in an order said that it has become expedient to issue prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC to prevent breach of peace, disturbance to public tranquility and grave danger to human lives and properties.
Peoples' Alliance Manipur (PAM) has also called 36 hours total shutdown on Monday and Tuesday which had a massive impact on the normal life of the people in the state. The bandh which was expected to be finished by Tuesday evening has been extended for another 24 hours. The bandh has been called in protest against the said bill which was about to be placed in the Rajya Sabha on February 12 but the house was adjourned on the day and has been pushed till February 13. The government is expected to make one last effort to present the bill in the RS today but the house was adjourned till 12 noon.
The controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 will amend the laws governing citizenship formed in 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians who have come to the country on religious persecution from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan before December 31, 2014.
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