The rallyists also submitted a joint memorandum to the state chief minister through the deputy commissioner of Tamenglong.

The rally was jointly organized by the All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (AMN), Zeliangrong Youth Front, Tamenglong, Village Council Tamenglong District and the religious community. Thousands of people including school students participated in the rally.
The rallyists displayed banners like, “Commandos and IRB are lawless forces - corrupted robbers and killers”, “IRB/ Cdos cannot bring solution, Mr. Ibobi is it your final decision”, “Nagas want peace not IRB/ Cdos”, “Don’t torture under Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958”, “Mr. Ibobi reconsider your decision, we don’t need lawlessness in our district”, “Better to die than live under harassment, revoke cabinet decision immediately”, “We want responsible not irresponsible forces” and “Don’t use iron hands use peaceful hands”.

 During the rally all shops and markets remained closed today. All vehicles were also stranded along the main bazar from Apollo bazar till the deputy commissioner Tamenglong office during the rally.

Similar rallies against the deployment of Indian Reserved Battalion and Manipur Police commandos in the hill districts of Manipur was also held at the sub- divisions of Nungba and Noney (Longmai) in Tamenglong district today.                 In the memo, the Zeliangrong community demanded immediate repeal of the Manipur state Cabinet decision taken on May 19 to deploy personnel of the IRB and police commandos in the hill districts of Manipur. 

It also stated that the decision was a premature and deliberated move to terrorise and provoke social disharmony and disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the hills by militarization and deployment of forces. The district administration in the hill districts did not face any law and order problems warranting deployment of forces, it stated. 

Further, the memo stated that the decision of imposing military might upon the mild people would invite more trouble and jeopardize the social harmony of the region. 

It also stated that the hills felt that there was inequal distribution of state resources including financial and budgetary allocations, human resource and the government’s lack of focus on addressing the socio-economic and cultural inequalities faced by the hill people. Increase in the military spending was at the cost of the other budget heads, including spending on health, infrastructure, education and others which would augment and enrich human capital, the memo stated.

The memo was signed by Joshua Dangmei, general secretary of the All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (AMN), Zeidi Gangmei, chairman of the Zeliangrgong Youth Front, Tamenglong zone, ID Chunlubou, secretary MIP of the Zeliangrong Students’ Union Manipur, Athanbou Pamei, president of the Village Authority Chairmen’s Council, Tamenglong and Guingopou, president of the Town Churches Union, Tamenglong. 

In the meantime, the Zeliangrong Students’ Union Manipur (ZSUM) has said in a release that until the decision is revoked the Zeliangrong Students’ Union would not remain a silent spectator in the interest of the district.               

The ZSUM also warned the state government to immediately revoke the decision taken on May 19 to deploy state forces in the hills while announcing that any destruction caused in agitations on the matter would be blamed on the government.