AMSU puts cases to Rajnath Singh
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 10 2018:
The All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) has submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh concerning the issues affecting Manipur and appealed for the Union Minister's immediate attention.
The memorandum stated that Manipur University has been paralysed for more than 137 days since May 18 this year due to the agitation by the university community demanding the removal ofVice Chancellor Professor Adya Prasad Pandey on various charges of administrative and financial irregularities, dereliction of duties and violations of the Manipur University Act undermining various statutory bodies of the central university.
The brief period of normalcy at the university after 85 days of agitation following a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on August 16 between the MHRD, the State Government and the university community was disturbed with the appointment of Professor K Yugindro Singh as the Pro Vice Chancellor of Manipur University violating the Manipur University Act on the recommendation of the suspended VC AP Pandey, it explained and added that the midnight crackdown on the university campus on September 20 by a combined team of Manipur Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) under the command of an IGP of Manipur Police and the arrest of 6 teachers and 89 students as well as the militarisation of the university have paralysed the university again.
Explaining that the MoA must be respected by the parties involved, AMSU appealed to the Union Home Minister to ensure the unconditional release of the arrested teachers and students and to revoke the appointment of Prof K Yugindro as Pro VC and to resolve the university issue immediately so as to save the students' career and the university itself.
AMSU also referred to Border Pillar 81 issue and conveyed that the Manipur sector of India-Myanmar boundary has been encroached by Myanmar.
It stated that the BP 81 at Kwatha village has been moved inside Manipur by erecting it at least 3 kms inside Indian territory.
If such activities are not resisted and defended by the Union Government, the loss of Manipur's territory to Myanmar will continue, AMSU explained.
It may be mentioned that this is not the only border dispute between Myanmar and Manipur but also at Choro Khunou, Molcham valley and Hollenphai village etc, it claimed.
Pointing out that Manipuris are still affected by the loss of Kabaw valley, AMSU stated that the Manipur sector of the India-Myanmar boundary must be resurveyed and the dispute must be resolved at the earliest.
On the other hand, AMSU conveyed that while the peace initiatives in the region by the Central Government are highly appreciated, the initiatives must not create any divide among the multi-ethnic pluralistic society and its distinct culture of centuries-old coexistence.
The ongoing peace process between the Government of India (GOI) and NSCN (IM) is a concern of all the stakeholders of the North East particularly Manipur, AMSU conveyed.
While the United Committee Manipur (UCM), All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), Coalition of Civil Societies, Kangleipak (CCSK) and AMSU, along with other civil societies and the people, have been demanding the Central Government to disclose the details of the Framework Agreement signed between GOI and NSCN (IM) on August 3, 2015, the report No.213 of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs tabled in the Parliament on July 19, has confirmed the apprehension of the people of Manipur that the peace process would affect Manipur, it alleged.
AMSU continued that the report mentioned about the possibility of extending Constitutional provisions similar to Article 371A to the neighbouring States of Nagaland to give special status to the Nagas there.
It is also mentioned that the Ministry of Home Affairs is considering extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to Manipur, which will create a State within the State, it said and warned that any divisive policy, Constitutional and administrative or ethnic-based political or administrative structures or systems which may affect a State's territorial integrity and multi-ethnic pluralistic identity must not be adopted in any peace accord.
Urging for the multi-ethnic and pluralistic identity and the territorial integrity of Manipur to be protected, AMSU appealed to the Union Home Minister to consider the issues seriously and act in the interest of the people of Manipur.
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