900 more join arms down Rifles stri

[mizzima@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

900 more join arms down Rifles strike

The Statesman (New Delhi)
December 12, 2000

IMPHAL, Dec. 11. ? Over 900 Manipur Rifles jawans of 2nd Battalion
mostly guard VIPs and banks. They went into strike soon after the
morning roll-call at 7.30 a.m. After locking all the gates and
preventing entry of officials, the jawans manned the gates and shouted
slogans.

All jawans manning VIP houses abandoned their posts and returned one by
one to the Battalion headquarters. Jawans slated to escort VIPs stayed
put.

The strike was also joined by the jawans of the Rear HQ of the 6th and
9th Battalion campus. The Inter-State Police Wireless, also within the
campus, has been cut off. Angry jawans told reporters that they were
solidly behind their colleagues of the 1st Battalion. Demanding the
revocation of their suspension order, they complained that they hadn't
been paid their ration funds in time.

The jawans also submitted a 16-point charter of demands ranging from
removal of corruption from the PHQ to quick processing of pension.
Jawans of Rear HQ of the 6th and 9th Battalion said they would join the
strike soon and messages had been sent to their HQs in Ukhrul and
Senapati.

The Commandant of the 2nd Battalion, Christopher Dounged, told The
Statesman that the strike in his unit had been non-violent. He also
denied the charges leveled by the 1st Battalion jawans that he was
involved in the HRA and SCA scandal. He said it was a genuine mistake on
part of the clerk, Ms Ganga Devi, to enter Rs 1.67 in place of Rs 1.07
crore as the amount withdrawn. He said he had deposed himself before a
departmental inquiry and had been absolved of any discrepancy.

The strike has crippled the security of several VIPs, including some
with Z-category.