Many more condemn burning of school
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 27 2019:
The arson at St Joseph Higher Secondary School, Sugnu continues to draw strong condemnation and disapproval from different quarters.
The All Manipur Catholic Union (AMCU) in its statement has strongly denounced the burning of the school by some miscreants while demanding stringent action against the perpetrators as per the law of the land.
AMCU appealed the authority concerned to bring justice and punish all those who are responsible for the crime.
Maintaining that students' organisation has been playing an eminent role in the society and for the welfare of the students, AMCU, after taking into account the opinions of the Principal of St Joseph Higher Secondary School and various CSOs at a meeting yesterday, maintained that it condemns the approach and attitude of Kuki Students' Organization Gunpi block, Chandel district to the issue of suspension of six students of the said school.
Questioning the right of the organisation in depriving thousands of students of their right to education by shutting down the school owing to the suspension, AMCU remarked that it has gone beyond the nature of a student organization and now it is behaving like goons and uncivilised citizens instead of standing for the welfare of the students and promoting a conducive academic atmosphere.
AMCU is against such behaviour of KSO Gunpi block and will not tolerate such attitude under any circumstances, it added.
Expressing solidarity with St Joseph School authority and its students, AMCU appealed to all those concerned to put every effort to repair the school building at the earliest.
It also appealed all to make educational institutions a zone free from all negative influences.
On the other hand, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Manipur has expressed shock and concern about the arson at St Joseph Higher Secondary School on the night of April 25.A press release issued by ABVP State Secretary stated that schools in the State have become a battleground from reports of planting a bomb to setting a school in fire.
It mentioned that threatening schools should be stopped at once adding that the incident is anti-social and the students are put at risk as well.
Conveying that ABVP Manipur stands with the school authority on the matter, it urged the authority concerned to act on it and book the culprits at the earliest.
The Hill District Private School Association Manipur (HIDIPSAM) has expressed deep concern over the unfortunate incident while condemning the thoughtless act of inflicting damage to the school building.
A press release issued by vice president and general secretary of HIDIPSAM remarked that it is necessary to use corrective methods to discipline the students adding that building a student is a collective work of teachers, parents and the society.
It appealed the authority concerned to leave no stone unturned in finding the culprits.
Meanwhile, a statement of All Manipur Gorkha Students' Union, (AMGSU) condemned, in the strongest term, the burning of the school by unknown miscreants.
AMGSU expressed extreme shock at the violent attack and deeply condemned the cowardly action.
Such barbaric, shocking and reprehensible incident should be condemned by all, it said adding that all responsible should be brought to justice at the earliest and the State Government should serve stringent action to the miscreants.
Conveying that although it stands in solidarity with St Joseph's School and its students, AMGSU appealed to all concerned to stick together to rebuild the school so that classes can resume again.
AMGSU called for a collective effort to make educational establishment free from violence and thugs and prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
The Kuki Students' Organization GHQ expressed utter shock and dismay at the arson of St Joseph School, Sugnu on the intervening night of April 25 and at the same time condemns the despicable act in the strongest term.
It said that KSO-GHQ will render full cooperation to the investigating authority to apprehend the culprits and added that KSO will not defend any of its leaders if found guilty.