ADC Recruitment: Offices sealed, forms burnt
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 29 2021: Following the announcement of All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) to halt the ongoing recruitment process of 750 posts in the six Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), its federating units sealed district level government offices and burnt forms of job seekers even as ATSUM demanded "immediate" halt to the process.

With reference to the representation submitted to the Minister, Tribal Affairs and Hills, dated July 10, 2020 demanding consideration of Mother Tongue/Local Language as an essential criteria for recruitment of primary teachers in schools under all ADCs of Manipur, and as recommended by the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) for deferring the same till elections to the six ADCs are held, ATSUM demanded immediate halt to on-going process for direct recruitment of 750 posts including 506 primary teachers in 6 ADCs.

According to ATSUM, in consonance with the provisions of the Right to Education Act 2009, National Curriculum Framework 2005 of NCERT, New Education Policy 2020 and Article 350A of Indian Constitution which envisaged facilitating mother tongue/local language of children as medium of instruction in primary schools, the tribal students' body had submitted representation to the TA & H minister on July 10, 2020 demanding consideration of Mother Tongue/Local Language as essential criteria for the said recruitment.

"However, the representation of ATSUM to adhere to constitutional provision was deliberately sidelined by the Secretariat: Hills Department, Government of Manipur," the union alleged.

It then said that the decision to conduct recruitment in the absence of a popular elected body "shows the desperate attempt of the state government to degrade the Autonomous District Councils".

Responding to the ATSUM's agitation call, Kuki Students' Organization (KSO), Sadar Hills on Wednesday sealed the office of Sadar Hills ADC at Kangpokpi and burnt the forms submitted at the office.

However, it was reported that not long after the KSO volunteers closed the office, Kangpokpi police opened it and attempted to resume submission of forms under tight security.

Volunteers of KSO Sadar Hills were seen seizing the submitted forms from the office of ADC and burning them in public view before sealing the office.

They also told the public and intending candidates that no recruitment shall be done and the ongoing recruitment process has been halted by ATSUM.

They were also seen pasting pamphlets on the entry gate of the office that read "We demand immediate conduct of ADC Election", "Include Local Languages as essential criteria", "Respect Tribal Rights", etc.

The student body also put up a public notice informing that the office of Sadar Hills ADC and Employment Exchange office will be closed and no process related to ADC recruitment will be taken up at any cost until the ATSUM demands are fulfilled by the state government.

It appealed to the public and applicants to cooperate with ATSUM and KSO until the demands are met.

Thangtinlen Haokip, general secretary KSO Sadar Hills, said that the state government has neglected various long-pending issues despite MoU after MoU signed with the ATSUM.

Apart from neglecting to conduct the long pending ADC election, the government always shows a discriminatory and lackadaisical attitude towards the hill people on every issue, he added.

He also said that the state government must at the earliest translate all the MoUs it had inked with ATSUM into action.

Till then, KSO Sadar Hills will support any movement of ATSUM in the larger interest of the tribal populace.

A reliable source informed that the state government met ATSUM leaders on Wednesday in connection with the latter'sdemands but the meeting failed to bring any positive outcome, prompting the government to call another meeting on October 8.Also in Senapati district, Naga Students' Union Chandel (NSUC) reportedly sealed the ADC office indefinitely from September 29 while appealing to the public to cooperate with the union.

As per report received from SP Senapati M Pradip Singh, security personnel have been deployed at ADC office situated at District Council, Senapati as per a request from the CEO, ADC, Senapati.

No untoward incident has been reported till the time of filing this report.

ADC offices and Employment Exchange offices of Churachandpur and Ukhrul districts were also reported to have been sealed by ATSUM and its federating units.

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