ZSF, AMGSU back ATSUM
Source: The Sangai Express
Lamka/Kangpokpi, August 30 2020:
Rallying behind the demands raised by ATSUM, the Zomi Students Federation (ZSF) today said it doubted the Government's resolve in addressing the genuine demands of ATSUM.
It is disheartening that, the State Government is least bothered about the predicament faced by the hills, otherwise their genuine demands could have been put in reality immediately.
The assurances made by the Government are so far merely lip service to fool the tribal people, it said.
The study body has therefore calls on the Government to be sincere on the promise it made and fulfil the demands of the State tribal students.
On the other hand, the All Manipur Gorkha Students' Union (AMGSU) also expressed its support towards the representations made by the three student organisations viz ATSUM, KSO-GHQ and ANSAM.
The lack of teaching and non-teaching staffs in the higher secondary schools, the low utilisation of the existing strength and the need for upgradation of some high schools to the level of higher secondary are serious issues, considering the future of the students and issue related to ad-hoc teachers as well, it asserted.
Reiterating the demand for recruitment of MIL lecturers, AMGSU also demanded the recruitment of MIL lecturers for Nepali as well, stating that there are many students opting for the subject but there is lack of lecturers.
It also stated that the lack of specialist doctors, absence of test laboratories and blood bank facilities and also lack of health infrastructure including ambulance services, causes a lot of inconveniences to the people of hill areas.
The Gorkha student body further appealed the State Government and concern authority to settle all the pending issues at the earliest, while cautioning that it will launch democratic form of agitation if the issues remain unsolved.
As urged by the MP Raju Bista when he met with the Chief Minister of Manipur on August 22, AMGSU reiterated the request of the MP to devise certain mechanisms to develop and preserve the unique Gorkha culture, language and history in Manipur.