HAC : ATSUM sets ultimatum for rescinding Speaker's order, boycotts Go to Hills 2.0
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, September 06 2021:
The "emergency meeting" of All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM), All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Kuki Students' Organisation-General Headquarters (KSO-GHQ) and federating units of ATSUM on Monday (September 6) resolved to "undertake intense forms of agitation if the order of the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly for induction of 8 MLAs of the Assembly Constituencies from the unscheduled areas as members of Hill Areas Committee (HAC) is not revoked within September 9, 2021 .
The meeting also "resented over the biased design of governance administered towards the tribal populace" in the form of ignoring "the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils, Bill 2021 recommended by HAC, and induction of 8 MLAs from unscheduled areas as members of HAC and then resolved to boycott the State Government programme 'Go To Hills 2,0" .
The meeting then resolved to demand for a special Manipur Legislative Assembly session to discuss the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils, Bill 2021 recommended by the HAC.
The meeting then appreciated the stand adopted during the HAC meeting on September 6, 2021 "wherein the Speaker's order was termed as unconstitutional, and for demanding rescind of the said order" .
The meeting was chaired by ATSUM president Paotinthang Lupheng.
The Naga Students' Union Chandel (NSUC), a conglomeration of tribal student bodies of Chandel district, also resolved to "boycott the 'Go to Hills 2.0'" under its jurisdiction denouncing the order of the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly which induct 8 MLAs from the unscheduled areas as members of HAC.
NSUC then termed the order as an "anti-tribal motive" of the Manipur Government, and condemned the order in the strongest terms.
In a press note issued on Monday, NSUC said that the recent impugned order dated September 1 will be "noted down as a dark chapter where the majority decides the future of the minority with an iron hand" .
It then said, "Time and again, NSUC reiterates its stand on tribal rights and will uphold it tooth and nail" .
Taking a serious note on the ongoing "Go to Hills 2.0" as a threat to the tribals, NSUC said that it has decided to boycott the said programme as long as the Speaker's order is not rescinded.
The NSUC appealed to the general public of Chandel not to attend the launching of Go to Hills 2.0 in the district.
Apex civil bodies of Chandel namely CNPO, NWUC, NSUC and NCAC also declared non-cooperation and boycott of 'Go to Hills 2.0' programme in a joint statement issued today unless the HAC Bill 2021 is consider and inclusion of 9 valley MLAs into HAC is rescinded.
Meanwhile, the Naga People's Front (NPF), Manipur State Unit has resolved to oppose the order of Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat regarding induction of 9 MLAs from ACs in the unscheduled area of the State as members into the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) .
An emergency meeting of the office bearers of NPF State unit was convened today to deliberate into the matter and observed that the order was arbitrary and unconstitutional before resolving to oppose the order, said a press release issued by general secretary (Admin) of NPF State unit.
Former Minister, C Doungel, in a statement expressed that the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly has no jurisdiction over composition of the HAC and appealed to the Governor to intervene and declare the order infructuous as it is likely to cause disharmony among different groups of people in Manipur.