Day 1 of 48 hrs bandh total : MUSU delivers point
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 19 2018 -

Day 1 of 48 hours band total. Completely total.

Total not only in Imphal East and Imphal West but in the other valley districts, Thoubal, Kakching and Jiribam.

The message has been delivered.

There is just no way that MUSU, MUTA, MUSA and other student organisations which have backed the ‘remove AP Pandey’ call, will settle less than the removal of the VC.

More than obvious that the delay in initiating any sort of action has only made the situation worse and the incidents in the last two days just before the general strike came into force, added to the intensity of the strike.

Just recall. It was on July 16 that secretary general of DESAM O Shital had a providential escape, escaping with fractures on his arms under the wheel of an oil tanker while being confronted by policemen in front of the State BJP office.

Just a day after the providential escape of the DESAM leader, came the pitched battles between DESAM volunteers and policemen at different points in Imphal during which at least 12 students were injured besides two cops.

These were the immediate factors for adding more teeth to the 48 hours general strike called by MUSU.

Other than this was the voice of support extended by at least six student organisations and one political party-the MPP.

That the 48 hours bandh came even as Chief Minister N Biren Singh and BJP legislators were at Delhi meeting a number of BJP leaders including the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Union HRD Minister is what makes Day 1 of the 48 hours general strike all that more significant.

Significant to note too that just a day before the general strike came into force, MUSU went to town asking the Chief Minister to step down as he ‘has failed to address some of the pressing issues of the State.”

And as everyone knows, MUSU is not a political party hence political motives behind the outburst against the Chief Minister can be ruled out.

Is it plain anger against the Chief Minister for seemingly not doing enough to get the VC removed or is there something more ?

Is the anger and disappointment against the Chief Minister, read the BJP led Government, responsible for the bandh call receiving such an overwhelming response from the people ?

Whichever way one looks at it, the going cannot be anywhere near comfortable for the BJP led Government and the sooner the fact finding body gets down to the business of probing the charges levelled against the VC, the better it would be for everyone.

Now that Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Meghalaya, T Nandakumar has been named to head the probe panel, it should be acceptable to MUTA, MUSU and MUSA and the needed co-operation ought to be extended to the probe panel.

The point that MUSU, MUTA and MUSA want to deliver has already been delivered and now is the time to extend co-operation to the probe panel to take things to its logical conclusion.

On the other hand, it would do good for MUSU to seriously question itself whether a 48 hour general strike is necessary.

A 24 hour bandh would have been more than enough to deliver their point.

Why extend it for another 24 hours, for it affects the common people the most.

The bandh may have been called in the interest of the students, but remember it is the common people, specially the daily wage earners who are hit the hardest.