The Imphal Free Press

Imphal, Aug 10: The state police forces across the state are being kept on alert as the tension over the dropping of L Monika, the lone weightlifter of the Indian Olympic squad belonging to Manipur on false charges, was palpable Sunday.

Angry people burnt tyres and debris on the road today also as a mark of protest and staged sit-in protests at various places including at Nachou, the native village of Monika in Bishnupur district in the afternoon.

Calling it a crime against not only Monika but also the people of Manipur, the Manipuri Students Federation, MSF, announced a boycott of national leaders today.

While announcing the boycott which would be effective from today, the students body also banned the selling of photos and posters of the national leaders as well as display at public places. They also appealed to individuals and offices to remove such photos and posters from their premises in support of the boycott.

The students body also demanded that state chief minister, O Ibobi Singh and the three MPs from Manipur, including the only Rajya Sabha member from the state, should not remain silent as the incident involving Monika indicated clear and blatant discrimination against sportspersons of the state by the officials of sports authorities.

In spite of everyone in the country knowing it was conspiracy against Monika, leaders of the country at New Delhi did not take it as an issue having national repurcussions, it said.

The forced dropping out of Monika from the Beijing Olympics was as cruel as the dropping of atom bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which apart from destroying the two cities also gave a mental setback to the Japanese, the MSF said.

The students body also urged the state chief minister, sports minister and three MPs of the state to proceed to Beijing with Monika and stage a protest there so that sportspersons from 205 countries participating in Olympics could know how low the standard of Indian sports officials was.Not sending Monika on a false allegation of doping was an insult not only to Monika but also the people of the state, the statement observed.

The instance also showed that India is a country which wants nuclear power and war but no sports, as the country always stood at the rear of sporting activities due to its corrupt sports policy and dirty politicians, it said.

Monika who wanted to earn laurels for the country with sweat and hard work has been left in tears and the people of Manipur should not let the conspiracy against Monika end without protest, it said.

"We should not only demand handing over of Monika`s case to the CBI but should show the guilty officials that they cannot discriminate against us," the MSF said.

In the meantime, protest agitations at various places started from this afternoon as people turned out on the main roads and started burning tyres and debris decrying the discriminatory act against the Manipuri weightlifter.

A sit-in protest at Nachou, the native village of Monika in Bishnupur district, was staged under heavy police presence. Protestors were not allowed to move out of the protest site during the protest.

A sit-in protest was also staged at the Sports Authority of India, Khuman Lampak by sportspersons, coaches and staff of SAI, Imphal from 11 am in the morning till 5 pm in the evening.

Banners and placards like, "Sit-in-protest against dirty Indian sports policy" and "India gi amotpa sports policy khudakta semdoku"(Clean up dirty Indian sports policy), "Eikhoibu inningtamna, niyom chumna sanaba phanghallu"(We want to play free and fair), "Monica bu Olympics thadaba haibasi Manipur miyamgi amadi Manipurgi sanaroi khunaibu ikaiba pibani"(Dropping Monica is humiliating her and the whole of Manipur) were displayed at the site.

Presently, the SAI unit has above 200 students including coaches and staff.

Another sit-in protest was held at Sports Authority of India, SAI, complex at Takyel organized by the SAI, Sports Training Centre (STC) and Centre for Excellence (CFE).The protest started from 11 am and lasted till 5 pm in the evening and was attended by various players from the SAI, officials and staff members as well as local meira paibis.

Banners like, "Saidagi houkhiba L Monika bu Olympic Games yaohandababu SAI gi unit sing, player singna pende" (The SAI unit and players strongly condemn the dropping of L Monika who started off from SAI Takyel) and placards like, "Monikagi case kumba anirak thokhanganu"( Don`t let Monika`s case be repeated again), "Monikagi thoudok marik chumna thidokpiyu"(Find the truth behind the case),"Monika Olympics yaohandaba Manipurgi laibak thibani" (It is a misfortune for Manipur that Monika will not participate in the Olympics), "Manipurgi sanaroi singbu namthaganu"(Don`t suppress Manipuri players). SAI Takyel has more than 106 students as well as staff and coaches.

A sit-in protest was also held at SAI Utlou complex staged by its staff, coaches and players and also at Panthoibi Keithel, Keirao Bitra, Irilbung organized by Keirao Bitra Apunba Lup this morning.

The All India Students Federation, AISF has also announced that as part of showing solidarity to Monika, the federation would not hold its 72nd foundation on August 12 at the Kangla hall.

The federation also appealed to all newspapers and cable networks not to carry or broadcast any news item related with Olympic Games on August 13 to protest the issue.

It further alleged that Monika was a victim of collusion and conspiracy done with vested interest and the federation has started pressing the concerned authorities to find out the culprits in the case and demanded award of befitting punishment.

The All Manipur Arts and Culture Students` Union also strongly charged the Indian authorities of not having any objective of winning medals but only to send their own men and women to the Games.

It also demand an apology from the authorities involved in the conspiracy to the people of the state as well as to Monika.

 

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