ATSUM warns of total shutdown, economic blockade
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 12 2021: The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has threatened to impose total shutdown in all the hill districts which would be followed by an indefinite economic blockade if the State Government does not convene a special session of the State Assembly within seven days to discuss the ADC Bill 2021 which has been already recommended and submitted by the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) to the Government.

Speaking to media persons at Adimjati Complex, Chingmeirong here this afternoon, ATSUM president Paotinthang Lupheng said that they would impose a total shutdown in all the hill districts for 24 hours on November 20 if a special session of the State Assembly is not convened within seven days to discuss the ADC Bill 2021 .

If no Assembly session is convened even in the face of the total shutdown call, an indefinite economic blockade would be imposed on National highways passing through the State with effect from November 22, said the ATSUM president.

He said that resolutions to this effect were adopted at a joint meeting of ATSUM, its federating units, ANSAM and KSO general headquarters held today.

Paotinthang Lupheng said that ATSUM has been fighting for the rights of tribal people.

"We welcome the ADC Bill 2021 drafted by the HAC and the HAC has all the rights to draft and table the Bill in the State Assembly", he asserted.

The way the State Government has been sidelining the Bill after it was referred to bureaucrats for re-examination is unacceptable to the ATSUM, he said.

Even as the ATSUM has been staging democratic forms of agitation including boycotting of the Government's Go to Hills campaign during the past two months, the Government has been paying little attention to the tribal people's aspiration, he decried.

It was for this very reason that ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO Ghqs held a joint meeting and adopted strong resolutions.

To a query, the ATSUM president said that the Bill does not threaten the integrity of Manipur in any manner.

It is only a step towards uplifting the backward tribal population, he added.

There is Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam and it does not threaten the integrity of Assam.

The Government of Assam controls the BTC directly or indirectly.

"We are only demanding introduction of a similar system in Manipur", Paotinthang said.

He added that the ADC Bill 2021 is not related with the forthcoming State Assembly election in any manner.

ANSAM president Wanglar Monshang and KSO Ghqs president Sasang Vaiphei were also present at the press meet and they declared that they would fully support the stand of the ATSUM on the ADC Bill 2021 .

Notably, the HAC submitted the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils Bill 2021 to the Government in August this year ahead of the 13th session of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

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