Imphal

On Monday, hundreds of women in Imphal rallied to demand the removal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from Manipur. The protest, organized by several groups including the Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF) and the Meira Paibis, saw women of all ages march through the Imphal East district. The rally began at Kongba Bazaar but was halted by security forces about three kilometers later, near Konung Mamang, just one kilometer from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. The women returned to Kongba Bazaar, where they held a large gathering.

Carrying banners and chanting slogans, the women condemned the violence in the state and called for accountability for human rights violations. They described AFSPA as “draconian” and demanded its immediate removal, urging both the state and central governments to stop the killing of innocent people.

The protest comes after the Ministry of Home Affairs reimposed AFSPA on November 14 in six police station areas across five districts, including violence-hit Jiribam, to grant additional powers to security forces in response to ongoing ethnic violence. The Manipur government has urged the central government to reconsider this decision. Meanwhile, opposition parties and local groups, including the Congress and Meitei organizations, have opposed the move, criticizing the government’s handling of the situation.