Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 03:
A delegation led by former MP Kim Gangte today called on UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at New Delhi to expressed their opposition to the move being made by the State Government to set up the National Institute of Technology (NIT) at Meitei Langol even as the Thadou Students' Association (TSA) has announced its decision to call a 24-hour State wide general strike with effect from midnight of December 7 over the same issue.
Addressing a press conference convened jointly in this connection at Manipur Press Club here today, secretary of JAC for Protection of 91-Meitei Langol Patta Land and Residential Area CS Khongsai informed that a three-member delegation of JAC led by ex-MP Kim Gangte today called on UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to exert pressure on the latter to prevail upon the Government to review its decision of setting up NIT at Meitei Langol.
Sonia Gandhi has also given her assurance to the delegation of taking up the issue with the State Government, Khongsai said, adding that failure of the State Govt to cancel its land allotment order for setting up NIT at Meitei Langol would invite Nandigram like violence in the State.
The present Government is only for the Chief Minister and his Ministers and not for the people, he alleged.
Kuki Women Union president Prof Rose Mangshi who was also present at the occasion come out strongly against concentration of developmental activities only in the valley areas while neglecting the hill districts
completely.
While observing that there should be equal development both in the hills and the valley districts, she questioned why the proposed NIT cannot be set up at a suitable site either in Churachandpur or Sadar Hills instead of the controversial site at Meitei Langol.
Necessary preparations have been made for launching various intense agitations along with the support of various like-minded organisations in case the Government is not ready to concede to the demand of the people, she added.
The president of Thadou Students' Association (TSA) H Marcel who also addressed the press conference announced the decision of the student body to call a 24-hour State wide general strike with effect from midnight of December 7 as first phase of the agitation against the Govt in connection the move being made to set up NIT at Meitei Langol.
Water supply, medical, power, press, religious function and education would be exempted from the purview of the general strike, he said, adding categorically that no transporters should ply on the road during the strike.