KSO, ANSAM to endorse ATSUM's 24-hr bandh
Source: The Sangai Express
Sadar Hills (Senapati), October 19 2016:
Kuki Students' Organization and All Naga Students' Association Manipur, during the joint meeting held today, have resolved to endorse ATSUM's 24-hour total shutdown in all the hill districts of the State, reports our correspondent.
In a joint statement, KSO and ANSAM said that the two organizations took the decision in view of the injustice meted out to tribal students in Manipur University.
KSO, General Headquarters and ANSAM will lend tacit support to ATSUM in all its course of agitation and the unethical conduct of MU authority is discriminatory and anti-tribal, the statement said.
"Tribal students are still resolute in their stand against any injustice that infringes their rights and every citizen must understand that in the an amendment had already been promulgated in the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006" the statement said.
It also pointed out that as per the amendment, reservation of 31% for ST is to be followed in admission of students in Central universities located in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and the Sixth Scheduled areas of Assam.
Therefore, the recent issue raked up by some individuals in the University is unsolicited.
The statement said that if MU authority and the State Government are to allow themselves to be swayed by unscrupulous individuals by denying the rights of the tribal students, the authorities concerned should first realize that what ATSUM is demanding is the rights guaranteed by an Act of Parliament.
The State Government and MU authority to tread carefully over this delicate issue as we will never compromise our rights whatever the situation is or will be.
As such, both the Centre and the State Government must settle this unsolicited problem before it gets out of hand, the statement added.
Meanwhile, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Students' Union, in solidarity with the plight of Tribal Students over the reservation policy in Manipur University, will endorse the total shutdown.
Therefore, the university will remain closed tomorrow, said Jangminthang Haokip, general secretary, IGNTUSU-RCM.