Security measures beefed up in Manipur ahead of PM's likely visit on Saturday
Imphal (PTI): Security measures have been tightened in Imphal and Churachandpur district headquarters town ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's likely visit to the state on Saturday, officials said.
Both state and central forces personnel have been deployed in large numbers in and around the nearly 237-acre Kangla Fort in Imphal and Peace Ground in Churachandpur, where a grand stage is being constructed for the prime minister's function.
Modi is likely to arrive in Manipur from Mizoram, but there has been no official announcement regarding it, either from New Delhi or Imphal. Several preparatory meetings have been held in the state in view of the visit.
This would be Modi's first visit to Manipur after ethnic violence broke out between Kukis and Meiteis in May 2023. Over 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless as a result of the violence.
Frisking and checking have been intensified at Sanjenthong, Minuthong and Moirangkhom areas, which all lead to Kangla Fort.
Central security teams, accompanied by state personnel, are conducting round-the-clock inspection of Kangla Fort and boats of the state disaster management force have been employed for patrolling the moats which surround the fort.
Kangla Fort served as the ancient seat of power for the then Manipuri rulers before the annexation of the princely kingdom in 1891. The fort, which is surrounded by moats on three different sides and Imphal river on the Eastern side, encloses a large polo field, a small forest, ruins of temples and state archaeological offices.
A central security official told PTI, "Sniffer dogs and advanced tools are being used to detect any unwanted materials. Security personnel are taking turns to patrol the periphery and premises of the fort on foot to scan for any unwanted signs. Entry of all to the fort is being registered and checked, and tourist access to the fort has been restricted.
Another official said that "maximum alert has been issued and drills are being conducted under the supervision of high-ranking officials." Daily meetings of security officials are also underway to oversee the situation, the official said.
Meanwhile, an advance team of central security officials also landed in Churachandpur.
Elsewhere in the state, security forces also intensified search operations and area domination throughout all vulnerable and fringe areas of the state.
Temporary checkpoints have been installed by state forces and CRPF, both in the hills and valley districts, to check the movement of anti-social elements.
Three militants were arrested in the last 48 hours as the crackdown on anti-socials intensified in the state. One cadre of the banned PREPAK was arrested with a 9mm pistol from his Langthabal Kunja residence in Imphal West district.
A militant of the proscribed United National Liberation Front (Koireng) was also arrested from Sunusiphai in Bishnupur district. Another cadre of the banned KCP (Taibangnganba) was arrested from Wangkhei in Imphal East district on Tuesday.
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Uttarakhand Assembly passes censure motion against opposition over women's reservation bill
Dehradun (PTI): The Uttarakhand Assembly passed a censure motion against the Congress and other opposition parties on Tuesday for allegedly blocking the passage of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, in Parliament.
The motion, which expressed the House's formal disapproval of the opposition's conduct, triggered a massive uproar by Congress members, leading to the adjournment of the House sine die.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Subodh Uniyal moved the censure motion, citing the "uncooperative attitude" of opposition parties toward the bill seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies.
Addressing a special daylong session convened specifically to discuss "Nari Samman -- Rights in Democracy", Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the bill's passage would have benefitted every political party.
Dhami noted that after delimitation, the number of Assembly seats in the hill state would have gone up to 105, with 35 reserved for women. He added that the number of Lok Sabha seats from Uttarakhand would have risen from five to seven or eight.
"The opposition fears that if women from ordinary households enter politics, the shops of dynastic politics run by certain parties will shut down," the chief minister claimed.
He compared the opposition's conduct in Parliament to the assembly in Mahabharat where Draupadi was insulted. Dhami further likened the opposition's behaviour to the "arrogance of Ravan".
The chief minister highlighted his government's initiatives, asserting that Uttarakhand was the first state to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to protect women's rights. He said the UCC freed Muslim women from practices like "halala", "iddat", polygamy and child marriage.
Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya questioned the technical feasibility of the bill, calling the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) claims of providing reservation by 2029 "misleading".
He argued that the bill is linked to census and delimitation processes. The Congress leader said the 2026 census would conclude by 2027 and the final data publication would take two more years.
"The delimitation process will take another six years. The actual implementation of this bill is not possible before 2034," Arya said, describing the move as a strategy to protect the BJP's "political ground".
The session also saw high drama outside the Assembly gates, where Congress MLA Virendra Jati staged a protest, demanding the payment of "outstanding" dues to farmers by sugar mills.
Jati arrived at the Assembly's main gate with a tractor-trolley loaded with sugarcane and dumped it on the road. The move brought the traffic to a halt, prompting traffic and security personnel to intervene and clear the area.
Women Congress workers also staged a demonstration against the "anti-people policies" of the state government.
