Manipur doctors protest against militant extortion

Imphal, Sept 20 (ANI): Terrorists' excesses and extortion may soon find itself cornered in Manipur, for the people of the state are regularly protesting against the militant high handedness through sit-in protests.

Whether it is an educational institution, a hospital or businessman, the militant outfits have spared none. Their latest victims are the staffs of Jawahar Nehru Hospital in Imphal who have been asked to give a hefty amount by a militant outfit. The doctors and staff of Jawahar Nehru Hospital of Imphal went on a sit-in protest, to show their anger against militants, when kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), a banned militant outfit of Manipur threatened the staff of the hospital to face the consequences if they failed to pay 50 lakh rupees and seven per cent of their monthly salary.

N.Rajendra Singh, a staff at the Jawahar Nehru Hospital, said, "The reason behind this protest is that we are subjected to many pressures from different corners of the society and this has reached an extent where we can't tolerate anymore. So we have come out in protest against it. We want to make this hospital a free zone, where we can work peacefully and can serve the patients dutifully and peacefully."Dr. Raghumani Sharma, Superintendent, Jawahar Nehru Hospital said that every organization in the state was suffering. " Every employee feels that if the demanded money is not paid, a threat to their life may follow," Said Sharma.The patients at Jawahar Nehru hospital had to face severe problems as the OPD and emergency services were closed down for two days. The absence of hospital staff and doctors left them at their wits end. "These groups are causing difficulties for the hospital as well as for the doctors to function normally. As a result of which patients are suffering," said S Ananda, a patients' relative.

A. Khungam, another patients' relative said, "There are no doctors to look after the patients. There is no other option or way out and we don't know what to do in this adverse situation."The Jawahar Nehru hospital has been targeted by not only one militant outfit (that is KPC) but also other groups like Revolutionary People's Front (RPF), People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), and kangleipak Communist Party-Mangang (KCP-M), have been preying on it as well.

Moreover, even the most prestigious hospital of Manipur, Regional School of Medical Science (RIMS) was not spared and was targeted by militants earlier this year. (ANI)