ST students protest scholarship delay
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 06 2024: Scheduled Tribes students under the banner of All College Tribal Students' Union (ACTSU), Imphal, launched protest on Friday to demand immediate release of their scholarships for the academic year 2023-2024 .

A large number of students gathered in front of GP Women's College, New Lambulane and attempted to march towards the Secretariat in Babupara.

However, the rally was intercepted by police and CRPF personnel nearby the TG School, where an intense scuffle ensued and police resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse the protestors as the situation escalated.

IGP and Imphal West SP, along with officials of Tribal Affairs Department also arrived at the scene to talk and pacify the protesting students.

Later, the protest was suspended after the assistant director of the Tribal Affairs Department assured the students of signing a memorandum of agreement to address their concerns.

He then took seven student representatives to meet the director who assured to release the funds in a phased manner.

Speaking to media persons after meeting the director, ACTSU Human Resource secretary Gaikhangning Panmei informed that the students were forced to take out the rally after the Department delayed in releasing scholarships for around 32,000 ST students studying in different colleges of the state for more than three months.

The delay has severely impacted the students, he rued.

The secretary cautioned that if the authority fails to fulfil its assurances within two-three days, more intense protests would be launched in consultation with apex ST student bodies.

It may be mentioned here that Southern Tangkhul Students' Union had also pushed for disbursing the scholarship funds of ST students at the earliest.

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