Dismiss rogue cops: Youth bodies
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 21 2018: Accusing the State Government of acting like an undemocratic Government and the Central Government of racial discrimination, Youth's Forum For Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR), Young People for Social Change (YPSC) and Youth Action Committee for Protection of Indigenous people (YACPIP) have demanded the State Government to terminate, not suspend, the police personnel responsible for injuring DESAM secretary general Shital Oinam as well as the higher officer responsible for giving the order.

It also demanded the Central Government to remove the VC from his post and appoint a student friendly VC at the earliest to save the career of thousands of students.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club today, YPSC secretary Malemnganba Laishram conveyed that on July 16, when DESAM volunteers tried to storm Raj Bhavan and BJP office, they were not armed.

Shital Oinam, secretary general of DESAM who sustained injuries on the day, did not lead the protesting students with arms and weapons either, he said.

Accusing he State Government of unleashing a reign of terror on the young students, he alleged that the police that came to control the student protesters were armed to the teeth with guns, fibre shields and sticks.

The security forces lathi charged the students and even hit female students with rifle butts, he alleged and added that Shital's arm was also run over by a truck due to the brutality of the police.

Then the next day, on July 17, security forces lathi charged student protesters who burned effigies in front of Kangla demanding proper action against the security personnel responsible for injuring Shital as well as removal of the VC.

Such brutality against democratic and non-violent student protesters cannot be tolerated and the State Government is responsible for giving the order to take up such action against the students.

So it is not wrong to say that the State Government believes in terrorising the people, he alleged.

On the other hand Malemnganba claimed that Manipur University is under the control of the Central Government which is operated by people from mainland India.

Malemnganba continued that the Centre has not provided even a single response till date despite the impasse at Manipur University crossing 50 days and questioned why the Government is not listening to the demand of the people of Manipur.

The act of neglecting the demands of the people and not caring even a bit about the future of the students of the State and instead attempting to subdue the people is the same as racial discrimination, he alleged.

Demanding the Central Government to stop racial discrimination and the State Government to stop supporting such racial discriminators as well, Malemnganba demanded the State Government to terminate, not just suspend, the security personnel involved in injuring Shital Oinam as well as the high officer who gave the command.

He further demanded the Central Government to remove the VC from his post at the earliest and to appoint a student friendly VC to save the career of the students.

If the Governments fails to take up necessary steps to fulfil the demands of the people, the present movement will continue, he added.

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