The Manipur Tribal Indigenous Farmers’ Committee (MTIFC) has warned of launching intense forms of agitation, including the blockade of the two lifelines of Manipur (National Highways 2 and 37), over the Government’s failure to fulfill a decade-old promise to uplift textile industries in the hill areas.
Addressing the media today at Manipur Press Club in Imphal, MTIFC President R.A. Fernandes reminded that in 2016, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Government of Manipur, the Manipur Handloom and Handicrafts Department, the Manipur Tourism Development Corporation, and the MTIFC to provide market and livelihood support for tribal weavers.
However, he lamented that even after ten years, no tangible work has been taken up under the agreement, forcing the committee to issue a one-week ultimatum before resorting to highway blockades and other agitations.
