Udupi: “Samana Mansakara Vedike” a forum of like-minded people and organisations (Diocese of Mangalore, Catholic Sabha, Dalit Sangharsha Samithi and Muslim Okkoota/ Union) staged a protest in Udupi town on August 02, to condemn the Manipur violence.
More than 7000 people participated in the protest to stand in solidarity with the people of Manipur who are facing extreme hardships due to the ongoing violence.
The two-kilometre long protest march began at the Mother of Sorrows Church, Udupi and passed through the Triveni Circle, Service Bus-stand, KM Marg, Diana Circle, Court Road, Town Police station and culminated at the Christian PU College Ground, Udupi.
Women Activist Janet Barboza addressing the gathering said that Prime Minister Modi is talking about Man Ki Baat but he has failed to hear the Dil Ki Baat of the women of Manipur. When I watched the video of naked women being paraded, I was in a state of shock. What slogan will the Prime Minister announce now? This incident has made the government naked. The end of the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padavo’ may be ‘Beti Jalao’. Prime Minister Modi has lost all morality to shout the slogan Bharath Matha Ki Jai because he has failed to protect the innocent women of Manipur, she said.
At the end, a memorandum to be submitted to the President of India was read out to the public and al voiced their support to this memorandum. The memorandum was signed by Prashanth Jathanna, Yaseen Malpe, Ronald D’Almeida, Prof Phaniraj and Sundar Master. The same was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner of Udupi District, the next day.
Media Analyst and thinker Shiva Sundar addressed the gathering and said that the government machinery has completely failed to control the Manipur ethnic conflict, which is lingering on for nearly three months. The silence of the Prime Minister shows his brazen indifference to the violence in Manipur. It is not a coincidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has remained silent on the ongoing rapes and atrocities on women in Manipur for 90 days; the prime minister is directly involved in the violence. What started in Gujarat is now peaking in Manipur also, he said.
He said that the demand of Meiteis is not justifiable. Kukis and Nagas are the deprived sections while Meiteis are power-wielding people. In this situation, the Manipur government should treat all equally and should not target Kukis under the guise that they engaged in opium and poppy cultivation. Now Kukis are being divested of their right to live.
Meiteis and Kukis fought against the British together, but now they are divided. The violence erupted after Meiteis demanded an ST tag. If provided it will enable them to own land hills dominated by Kukis. Properties of Kukis are now being targeted in the violence.
Udupi Catholic Diocese Bishop Rev Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, Vicar General Msgr Ferdinand Gonsalves, Chancellor Rev Dr Roshan D’Souza, PRO Rev.Fr Denis D’Sa, Syrian Catholic Priests Fr David Crasta, Fr Noel Lewis, Leaders Yaseen Malpe, Ronald D Almeida, Prashanth Jattanna, Sundara Master, Prof Paniraj, Veronica Cornelio, Vinay Kumar Sorake, Ramesh Kanchan, Roshani Olivera, Dr Sunitha Shetty and others were present.
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