Women organisations have condemned the sporadic violence during the first phase of the 18th Lok Sabha election voting yesterday, on April 19, 2024.

The organisation demanded immediate action against those involved in such a dreadful incident.

Addressing the media in a press conference held today at Manipur Press Club, the Convenor of Ima gi Meira Th Sujata said various sections of societies had opposed conducting the 18th Lok Sabha Election in strife-torn state Manipur.

Despite this, the first phase of the election was held amid chaos and violence which is very unfortunate.

The authority concerned had announced taking appropriate measures to hold the election in a free and fair manner. Contrastingly people of the state had witnessed many shocking incidents during yesterday’s election which had never happened before. Such violence also proved law and order of the state is still at stake, she added.

Amongst various violence, mentioning two particular incidents where one senior citizen sustained bullet injury and one woman was threatened with a gun by armed miscreants, she urged the authority concerned to take immediate action against those culprits.

She questioned how the state government could defend itself from armed miscreants when an indigenous citizen of the state couldn’t exercise their voting freely and peacefully. The state government should take appropriate security measures to prevent such recurring unwanted incidents if a re-poll is being held.

Meanwhile, Khwairamband Ima Market women vendors also strongly condemned the violence that marred yesterday’s election in various polling stations. 

Referring to one particular incident in which a woman was threatened by armed miscreants, one of the representatives of Ima Market, Asem Nirmala said that an attack on a woman amounts to disrespect to the whole woman’s community.

She said that women have been playing a crucial role in various social movements of the state. Even in ongoing crises as well, women are playing a key role in many ways. But armed miscreants threatening women using guns that are also for election purposes is unfortunate and highly condemnable.