TSA says no to bandh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 26 2018: Declaring that the 48 hours general strike from today's midnight will not be effective in the hill areas of Manipur, TSA-GHQs has demanded the Central Government to shift Manipur University to a hill district of the State to avoid any problem in the future.

It also asserted that the impending agitation is the handiwork of valley-based, students' organisations and the tribal community is not a part of this agitation nor will they endorse it in any way.

A press release issued by the secretary information and publicity of TSA today claimed that right from the onset of the agitation, various tribal frontal organisations had made it explicitly clear that the rule of law should be given precedence over all else, and that justice and fair trial should be given to all and sundry, but the sequence of events has shown that vested interests of some individuals have taken priority over the interest of the student community.

Maintaining that the agitators could have put their agitation to rest after the suspension of Prof AP Pandey, it accused the agitators of choosing to protract the issue without any iota of care and compassion for the career of thousands of students who are at the receiving end of the agitation.

Claiming that Manipur University has transformed into a centre of bigotry and a perfect template of the suppression of tribal rights, TSA conveyed that it should be kept in mind that Manipur University is a Central University and as such any Indian citizen is eligible for any post if he/she fits the description.

It continued that if the agitators are not satisfied with the adjudication of the MHRD, they should demand for the reconversion of Manipur University to a State university.

TSA further claimed that the Central Government should shift the university to the hill areas of the State so as to avert any agitation or problems in the future.

On the other hand All Manipur Komrem Mothers' Association has also strongly condemned the 48 hours bandh called by several organisations.

A press release issued by the president of the association mentioned that the bandh will not be entertained in the hill districts of Manipur and warned that if Government offices, banks and institutions are closed in the hill districts during the said bandh, the association will take up necessary actions.

The association also urged the State Government to solve the university problem at the earliest and to release the arrested students and teachers of the university before the problem escalates further.

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