Protest march in Mizoram.
Protest march in Mizoram.

Thousands of demonstrators marched on Monday across Mizoram in protest against Lal Thanhawla’s government alleging the State government’s failure to safeguard the State’s boundary and not standing up to protect the Mizos against the onslaught of the Assam Police in their attempt to build a rest shed ‘Zofate Chawlhbuk’ near Bairabi in the northern Kolasib district of Mizoram along the border with Assam.

The protestors demanded resignation of Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla.

The rallies were held across the State in the headquarters of each district and at Bairabi town in protest against the high-handedness of Assam Police personnel, who mercilessly had beaten up not only the students but also some journalists who were covering the incident on March 8 and March 11, 2018.

In the State capital, Aizawl, about 8000 strong crowd took part in the rally which was organized by the Mizo Zirlai Pawl. The demonstration was dubbed as ‘March to safeguard Mizoram’ and protestors shouted slogans demanding resignation of Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and Home Minister R Lalzirliana whom they alleged as perpetrators of Mizoram and stated that they have failed to ‘stand up for Mizoram’s cause’.

In the southern town of Tlabung in Lunglei district, an effigy of Adil Khan, District Magistrate of Hailakandi district, was burned and demanded that the official, who gave the firing order, be suspended by the Assam government.

The demonstrators in Aizawl resolved that the rest shed ‘Zofate Chawlhbuk’ be rebuilt and that Mizoram government should take appropriate action to safeguard the boundary of Mizoram and its people.

The march was organized in two simultaneous roads of Aizawl and a public meeting was held near Vanapa Hall in the heart of Aizawl. Speaking at the meeting, B Vanlaltana, Vice-President of the MZP lamented on the Mizoram government’s poor handling of the border issue.

“Leaders, who do not have the courage to stand up and protect the boundary of Mizoram should be given sarees,” shouted the demonstrators.

The Mizo Zirlai Pawl has pledged to reconstruct the Zofate Chawlhbuk on March 18, 2018 at the same site at Zophai near Bairabi. Donations were collected at the venue of public meeting where several prominent citizens and business men donated thousands of rupees for the cause.

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