Amid growing public outrage over the eviction drive at Lei-Ingkhol in Imphal East, the womenfolk of Kontha Ahallup on Saturday staged a sit-in protest demanding an immediate halt to the displacement of the villagers.
Under the banner “Save Lei-Ingkhol from Displacement,” the protesters held placards that read “Save Lei-Ingkhol” and “Meitei Khul Muthatpa Yaroi,” voicing their opposition to what they described as an “inhumane and unjust” eviction move.
Addressing media persons at the protest site, writer Nirmala Rajkumari said the people of Kontha Ahallup could no longer remain silent as the residents of Lei-Ingkhol faced forced displacement in the name of development.
She noted that the settlement of Meitei village (Lei-Ingkhol), where families have lived for generations with difficulties, and any attempt to uproot them would amount to erasing a part of the community’s heritage.
Rajkumari stressed that eviction should not come at the cost of people’s homes and livelihoods, which are directly affected.
The protesters further appealed to the state government to review its decision and adopt a humane approach based on dialogue and rehabilitation rather than coercion.
