Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 20 (NNN):
Movement for Tribal Peoples� Rights, Manipur (MTPRM) has drawn the attention of Manipur Governor S.S Sidhu with regard to the various ills crippling the hill areas of Manipur.
A team of MTPRM which met the Governor yesterday at Raj Bhavan had highlighted the problems in all aspects in the hill districts of Manipur to which a memorandum was submitted.
The MTPRM memorandum submitted to SS Sidhu which was made available to the Network by its president N Khamsuanthang and its general secretary AS Johnson which stated that the acute shortage of teachers in the hill areas, reservation for SC/ST issue, misuse of fund meant for tribal people, delimitation issue and Autonomous District Council issue.
The MTPRM memorandum stated inspite of various tribal based organisations� appeals and persistent demands to the State Govt to maintain the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution of India as �Right to Education,� the tribal students are deprived of their guaranteed rights.
It urged the Governor to effect the Reservation Policy based on the latest population census which shall come to 44% prior to 33% adding that any violation of this Reservation Policy could be construed as contempt of the Constitution of India and hence legitimate legal action should be penalized in accordance with the law of the land.
It further said that the tribal people would not accept less than total review of the Reservation Policy enshrined in the Constitution.
The MTPRM memo then said that the delimitation adjustment projected for equal representation of population, the Govt of India through an amendment of Constitution ordered for comprehensive revision of population-constituency wise of MPs and MLAs and stated that such exercise was prerogative.
The memo further said that Govt considered 2001 census figure for the Delimitation on the plea of abnormal growth in certain districts as alleged by the Government of Manipur and the results that the whole process of Delimitation was likely to defer.
The memo then said that in this regard the dimension of interest clash between the hills and the valley people remarkably noticeable that any benefit likely to be gained by the hill people had been vigorously pushed to derail.
The MTPRM asked the Governor to intervene in this regard so that things were done justly.