Appoint native as CS call Student bodies in stir mode
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, June 05 2018:
The three student organisations of Manipur which have raised the State Chief Secretary appointment issue are in agitation mode while accusing the State Government of 'buying time' and not genuinely trying to address the issue.
The Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), the All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) and the Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Sinpanglup (AIMS) said today that they just wanted from the State Government a 'yes' or a 'no' to put to rest the issue of the Chief Secretary's post.
"Only buying time will not ease the problem," DESAM, ATSUM and AIMS said.
According to the three student bodies, on the request and mutual understanding reached between the Government of Manipur and different student organisations of the hills and valley under the aegis of the DESAM, AIMS and ATSUM during an official discourse held on May 11, 2018 on the appointment of a native IAS officer to the post of Chief Secretary, the three student organisations cancelled the three phases of agitations with all sincerity and trust that the Chief Minister of Manipur will translate his assurances into action in due course of time.
"Buying time to apply 'safety valve theory' to prevent from bursting will not always work," they stated.
The three student bodies also said that three months as in charge is enough and it is in the interest of the people living in Manipur to rationally think twice as to why appointment of a "native officer" from amongst the list of seniority has become an issue.
According to DESAM, ATSUM and AIMS, five months starting with a humble representation in the month of December 2017, followed by press conferences, sit-in protests and peaceful rally in the heart of Imphal have testified the solid foundation of basis for justification of the demand for appointment of anyone from amongst the list of seniority deemed fit.
They further said that, two discourses with the Chief Minister and another two along with his Cabinet colleagues is enough.
"We have no grudge with anyone - neither are we pushed from behind nor are we politicized; our conscience is very clear and therefore we will never appreciate a double standard Government - "power without responsibilities and responsibilities without power", the three student organisations added.
The student bodies said they are mere pressure groups, "and therefore, we feel it is our bounden duty" to give pressure to the Government to ensure that grievances of the people are redressed, and the Government being claimed as the people's Government, is bound to listen to the cries of the people.
They also said they do not want chaos and pandemonium for the "simple fact" that violence is not the only means to achieve one's goal but for everything there is a perfect time.