ATSUM urges Govt
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 07 2017:
The All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has "earnestly appealed" the State Government to respect the Constitutional rights of the tribals and "immediately" initiate the recruitment process of filling up the back log posts of Assistant Professors in Government colleges at the earliest.
Failing to address the “genuine rights” of the tribal populace, ATSUM said it will resort to its course of agitation, reports NNN .
Recalling the background, ATSUM said that as per the decision of the joint sitting of State Govt and ATSUM on September 27, 2017 in the chamber of the Chief Secretary, the Government of Manipur, the Higher Education was supposed to declare the results of recruitment of 280 Assistant Professors and to simultaneously announce conducting a special recruitment drive for backlog Scheduled Tribe (ST) reserved posts of Assistant Professor on the day of result declaration.
"However, the Higher Education Department, Manipur has failed to respect the understanding and decision of the meeting dated September 27, 2017 deliberately," it alleged .
According to ATSUM, the recruitment of 280 posts of Assistant Professors was initiated basically for filling up the backlog posts of ST in the Government colleges of Manipur wherein 184 posts of different disciplines were reserved for ST in its recruitment Advt.
No.15/2014 Imphal, dated 15-11-204 by MPSC.
"But on failing to mention that it was a special recruitment drive for ST, number of ST seats was reduced to 31% denying Article 16(4B) of the Indian Constitution wherein it was clearly mentioned that backlog posts of any reserved category are recognized as separate class of vacancies to be filled up in any succeeding year or years and such class of vacancies shall not be considered together with the vacancies of the year in which they are being filled up for determining the ceiling of fifty percent reservation on total number of vacancies of that year," it pointed out .
Considering the dynamics of the incumbent State Government in restoring balance development of the State as well as its popular slogan "go to hills, which has been frequently advocated by the Chief Minister and his Cabinet Ministers and ATSUM being a forefront tribal organisation questions the sincerity of the State Government of delivering its popular slogan and restoring the Constitutional rights of the tribals" .
On the "impasse" on the appointment of the Tribal Research Institute (TRI)'s Deputy Director and the "using of muscle power by All Manipur Student Union (AMSU) against the decision of the department, Government of Manipur on August 1, 2017" the ATSUM said such acts tantamount to breach of rule of law.
"Locking up the TRI office and storming into the office of the Principal Secretary, TA & Hills by volunteers of AMSU right under the nose of the security personnel, speak volumes that mob justice is encouraged in Manipur.
ATSUM as an apex tribal body is for the well being of the State and not to create enmity with any civil organizations," it added .
The ATSUM said that, whatever lapses/anomalies committed by the department and MPSC and the subsequent outcome of the processes and decision of the Court and the Government should be respected to testify that no one is above the rule of law.
"While giving a thought in the interest of the tribals, ATSUM would like to pose a simple question as to why the operational guidelines of the Ministry are not complied at the time of recruitment," it stated .
"As such, the Government is to see that, the operational guideline of the Ministry is strictly followed," the ATSUM asserted.