Imphal : Several women staged a sit-in protest against Assam Rifles for sending a legal notice to the Republican Party of India (RPI) Athawale national secretary Thounaojam Maheshwar, a young politician from Manipur. The sit-in was organized by the Keishamthong Assembly Constituency Meira Paibi at Keishampat Leikmajam Hall, Imphal on Monday.

The Assam Rifles served a legal notice to the RPI Athawale National Secretary Thounaojam Mehshwar, a resident of Keishamthong, Imphal.

In the legal notice served by the Shillong Bar Association advocate named Nitin Khera alleged that during a public event in New Delhi on June 30, Maheshwar, made various slanderous remarks against Assam Rifles.

He also sought the removal of Assam Rifles from Manipur. In this connection, the Assam Rifles under the aegis of the Inspector General of Assam Rifhges sought a clarification from the RPI Secretary within 15 days and also refrained from making any more defamatory remarks against the security forces.

Meanwhile, the protesters mostly the women demanded withdrawal of the legal notice within three days, failing which various protests will be launched.

On the sideline of the protest, K Birani Devi, a leader of the Meira Paibi, Imphal, stated that the demand for removal of Assam Rifles from Manipur is not Maheshwar’s lone call, but the collective voice of the Meetei populace during the height of the ethnic violence.

The communal carnage that broke out between the Kukis and Meiteis that erupted on May 3 cost the lives of over 150 persons and 60, 000 people displaced.