DESAM boycotts Jiri AC MLA
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 17 2017:
Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has boycotted newly elected MLA from Jiribam AC Ashab Uddin and said that a people's convention will be held on March 19 to discuss the issue.
Speaking to mediapersons at DESAM office located at Sagolband Moirang Leirak on March 14, DESAM secretary general Nameirakpam Edison said, "Ashab Uddin is a non-local.
As such, he cannot join any political party.
CSOs based in Jiribam including All Manipur Bengali Students' Association Jiribam, All Manipur Linguistic Minority People's Organisation and All Manipur Muslim Organisation Co-ordinating Committee gave a 24-hour ultimatum to DESAM on March 15 to withdraw the boycott" .
He added, "Electing a non-local as a representative shows that Jiribam has become a safe haven for the non-locals.
This type of scenario is something that poses great threat to the indigenous people of Manipur and DESAM cannot remain silent as it is our responsibility as well to contribute our part in protecting the rights of the indigenous people.
"Jiribam is one of the places of Manipur that is struggling with influx of illegal migrants.
Ashab Uddin claimed that his family came to Manipur in 1906 .
Though Ashab Uddin follows Islam, he does not belong to indigenous Meitei Pangal community.
All the illegal migrants now possess fake documents which are made in Assam or West Bengal.
Nepalis who came along with Maharani Iswari Devi and Teli people residing at Telipati are also not indigenous people of Manipur," Edison informed.
He also questioned if some CSOs belonging to indigenous Meitei Pangal community are favouring Ashab Uddin since he practices Islam.
"Though we are not against our Meitei Pangal brothers and sisters, we want to ask if they are thinking of embracing all the Bihari Muslims, Bengali Muslims, Rohingya Muslims and Arabic Muslims and turn them into Meitei Pangals," Edison said and added, "DESAM's advisor is a Meitei Pangal.
One of DESAM's former presidents was also a Meitei Pangal.
We are against the outsiders, not the indigenous people" .
Indigenous communities of the North East region are in danger of extinction.
Let us all work together to protect the indigenous people of Manipur, he urged.