Imphal, Aug. 7: Manipur today headed towards a mass uprising over ace weightlifter Laishram Monika Devi’s shock exit from the Beijing Olympic squad.

The powerful United Committee, Manipur observed a statewide strike from 10am today. It will continue till 7pm tomorrow. It said Monika’s exit was an attempt by mainland India to suppress the people of Manipur and demanded another test. Monika was dropped after she tested positive for a banned substance on Tuesday.

Joining the chorus of protests, Opposition Manipur Peoples Party (MPP) demanded a white paper. “It is a conspiracy against Monika. If the wrong is not corrected, the episode will weaken the country’s unity,” party president L. Chandramani Singh warned at a news meet.

Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh sent sports minister N. Biren Singh to Delhi this morning with two letters addressed to sports minister M.S. Gill and minister in-charge of Northeast Prithiviraj Chouhan, demanding steps to clear doubts over Monika’s dope test. “We do not believe in the test result and will seek justice,” he said here last night.

Tension has been running high since reports of Monika’s exit reached here yesterday. Popular reactions, including those from Ibobi Singh, are of “shock” and “disbelief.”

The spark of protest was ignited at the Khuman Lampak stadium here this morning. Officials of Manipur Olympic Association (MOA), Manipur Weightlifting Association, sportspersons and volunteers of All-Manipur Anti-Drug Association burnt an effigy of R.K. Naidu, the director (Teams) of the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

They charged the SAI official with hatching a “conspiracy” to prevent Monika from taking part in the Games.

“This is a conspiracy. We will be compelled to resort to violence unless the injustice is corrected,” MOA executive member S. Indrakumar warned. The MOA accused Naidu of conspiring to replace Monika with P. Shaleja, a lifter from Andhra Pradesh.

MOA secretary B.C. Singh, who today faxed representations to the sports ministry and the Indian Olympic Association demanding that Monika be allowed to proceed to Beijing, said: “Let Olympic authorities carry out the test”.

Minutes after his speech, someone brought out an effigy which was consigned to flames amid chanting of “Ram nam satya hai”.

The protesters later took out a rally towards the chief minister’s office, but ran into a police wall at Palace Gate, 1km away. Police fired teargas shells, exploded stun bombs and beat up the protesters, mostly sportspersons. Five girls were injured.

Finally, a sports delegation was allowed to meet Ibobi Singh, who assured them that his government was taking up the matter with Delhi.

SAI players also burnt an effigy of Naidu at the SAI complex at Takyelpat in Imphal West. The All Clubs Organisations and Meira Paibi Lup, a citizen’s group, called a 24-hour statewide bandh from midnight, demanding that Monika be sent to Beijing. They also demanded a white paper on the scandal.

A joint meeting of sports and citizen’s groups organised by the All Manipur Students Union and the Democratic Students Alliance, Manipur at Imphal Press Club warned of an “intense agitation” if the issue was not resolved.

MOA president E. Binoykumar Singh, who attended the meeting, said “no proper procedure had been followed in the dope test”.