ATSUM stir begins, more course of action lined up
Govt offices picketed at many hill dist hqs
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, April 05 2021:
Government offices in Kangpokpi district were picketed today as the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur stir began in all the hill districts of the State.
Picketing of Government offices in Kangpokpi DHQs was enforced by volunteers of ATSUM and other tribal student bodies including KSO, TSA, TYA, etc.
extended solidarity and cooperation to the call of ATSUM.
The office picketing started today in all hill districts and it will continue till tomorrow to be followed by a mass rally on April 8 and various other intense form of agitations.
Economic blockade is likely to be on the agenda.
At Kangpokpi DHQs, volunteers of ATSUM and CSOs closed all Government offices including DC office, ZEO, Autonomous District Council, District Transport Office, etc.
The volunteers were also seen pasting a pamphlet which read, "office closed by ATSUM in protest against the delay of ADC election" on the gate and wall of each office.
The picketed offices including DC office and ZEO were reportedly opened after they were sealed by ATSUM and CSO volunteers but it was again sealed by the volunteers.
Speaking to media-persons in front of DC office Kangpokpi entry gate after sealing it, Henkai Singsit, spokesperson in-charge of the ATSUM stir in Kangpokpi said that in line with the decision to close down all Government offices in the hill districts, ATSUM with its federating units in Kangpokpi began picketing all the Government offices today.
He continued "If the State Government is truly committed to equal development of both the hills and the valley then ADC is the key component for the development and growth of the hill districts in the State" .
Singsit recalled that the present Government has been preaching right from day one of its inception that they are going to initiate steps for the development of the hills under slogans or campaigns like, Go to Hills, Go to Village, etc, but in reality all such slogans and campaigns sound hollow.
He maintained that if the State Government really wants development and growth of the hill districts then they should conduct the ADC election at the earliest.
Medical, educational institutions and banks were exempted from the purview of the office picketing in Sadar Hills.
Ukhrul: Volunteers of ATSUM locked most of the offices located in Ukhrul town at around 10 am including the Mini Secretariat complex at Hamleikhong, reports our correspondent.
They picketed and prevented the staff from attending office.
Ukhrul Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajit Kumar Sharma who arrived at the office at around 11.30 am opened the entrance gate and asked the volunteers stationed by the side of the gate to let the office function without any interruption.
He explained that Government employees are rendering services for the goods and benefits of the public.
Expressing deep concern, the SP said that problems have to be settled democratically.
According to the SP, sufficient number of security personnel were deployed in most of the offices to ensure law and order.
DC Ukhrul Joseph Pauline Kamson also deployed two Executive Magistrates to monitor the situation and meet any exigency.
Placards with the words "office closed by ATSUM" could be seen at many Government offices.
Offices in the town were deserted as there were no visitors with some of the staffs abstaining from attending.
No reports of any untoward incident till the time of filing this report.
The Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) had endorsed the stand of ATSUM in Ukhrul district.
Moreh: Responding to the call of ATSUM, the KSO, Moreh block closed the ADC office, post office, banks and other Government offices today.
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