Senapati, September 20: Amidst strong condemnations pouring in from various quarters including the Government of Manipur over the Nagaland Government's decision to allow schools to affiliate to NBSE from other States, the All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has today questioned as to why the "Manipur Government is selfish and being panicky" on such a development.

The Naga students' body asserted that it strongly disagrees and rejects any form of forced imposition saying that such imposition which is far from the truth begets its own result.

ANSAM said that respecting the values of others' language, identity, culture, tradition, and history is the true form of democracy.

"What is the problem, when democracy in India provides space for the ethnic minority to opine and follow their will and aspiration to preserve and protect their language, identity, culture, tradition and history?," questioned ANSAM, adding, "forced indoctrination is bound to collapse from its principles.

The State Cabinet of Manipur is wonderfully rejuvenating the era of forced rule and purportedly encouraging slavery system with modern application and mechanism".

While expressing its apprehension, ANSAM predicted that the SPF Cabinet will desperately try to fool the people through coercive methods to challenge the desire of the Naga people and other ethnic community in the State.

It also stated that education is universal and will be inappropriate to link it up with political issues.

"The Education Policy enacted under the law is free from territorial limitation depending on the convenience and choice of the minority ethnic groups.

This is amply substantiated by the existing patterns followed in the State School Board of West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, etc and GBSE & ICSE.

West Bengal School Board is allowing schools outside the State according to the demand of the people to follow its syllabus in Delhi, Chennai etc.

Similarly, Kerala and Tamil Nadu School Boards allow overseas affiliation to promote their language, culture and identity.

In the case of CBSE, there are 134 overseas schools affiliated to it and ICSE has 4 overseas schools affiliated too", cited the ANSAM.

The student body then asked as to why the State Government of Manipur is selfish, frightened, feel threatened and jealous of any changing trend when the country at large follows and adopts a policy that guarantees the right and freedom of the linguistic and cultural minority to opt for any education pattern of their choice under the National Education Policy.

It explained that if the changing trend is misconstrued without understand- ing the context and circumstances and the legal provision of the land, the Manipur Government is exposing its parochial Outlook.

"The society can never sustain any forced rule or imposition at the whim of dominant majority ruled Government.

When the majority is unable to address the interest of the minority ethnic communities, why burn their fingers to antagonize and explore unjustified exercise of disrespecting the hill people.

It will be a mockery for the head of the State, the Governor of Manipur to do injustice to the tribal people, without taking their consent.

In the history of the State of Manipur, the dominant State Government has never in their own accord delivered justice to the hill people.

This is magnifying and dividing the bottom line," it stated.

ANSAM also asked as to why the State Government is losing patience and acting illogically and hurriedly making itself contemptible.

"The Government cannot administer the peoples' affair with despotic and chauvinistic attitude.

Let education be according to the choice of the people particularly the minority ethnic communities in their search for better, appropriate and rightful education and stopping this will be as much as denying their rights.

Even if the Government of Manipur, however hard it may try to confront or block it will prove futile", asserted ANSAM.