Bandh over TET lukewarm in CCpur, Sadar Hills
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal/Tamenglong/Ccpur, September 24 2012: Normal activities in the hill districts of Tamenglong, Chandel, Ukhrul and parts of Senapati were disrupted today due to the 48-hour bandh imposed by the five influential tribal students' organisations since midnight of September 23 under the aegis of the Joint Committee of Hill District Students' Organisation (JCHDSO) in protest against the alleged apathetic attitude of the state government towards setting up of Teacher's Eligibility Test (TET) form distribution centres as well as exam centres in all the hill district headquarters.

The students' bodies that have formed the Joint Committee of Hill District Students' Organisation (JCHDSO) are Zeliangrong Students' Union, Manipur (ZSUM), Senapati District Students' Association (SDSA), Churachandpur District Students' Union (CDSU), Naga Students' Union of Chandel (NSUC) and Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) .

However, due to the opposition of the bandh by Kuki Students' Organisation, General Headquarters (KSO-GHQs), the first day of the two-day bandh was not effective in Churachandpur districts and Sadar Hills (in Senapati district) .

Kangpoki Bazaar looks alive while Tamenglong district HQs wore a deserted look

Shops were seen opened in Kangpokpi bazar of Sadar Hills when a team of media toured today.

From Motbung till Kangpokpi and beyond, the bandh impact was not felt.

However, ealier in the morning, confusion reigns as the stand of KSO was learnt by the public through the newspapers only this morning.

In Churachandpur too, the effect of the bandh was not felt though Churachandpur District Students' Union (CDSU) was part of the JCHDSO.

Meanwhile, save for Churachandpur and Sadar Hills, inter-state and inter-district public and goods transports did not operate today.

Business establishments downed their shutters.

The percentage of government office staff was quite low today in the hill districts, except for Churachandpur.

The Kuki Students' Organisation had said yesterday that the 48-hour bandh would not be allowed to be enforced in the Kuki dominated areas as it was done without the knowledge of the Kuki students' body.

The KSO's contention was that since the state Education minister had given assurance to make the TET forms available in the hill districts at the earliest and examination centres from next year onwards, calling bandh is uncalled for.

It is also worthwhile to note that the Kuki Students Organisation-General Headquarters (KSO-GHqs) had called off its proposed 48-hour Manipur bandh on September 18 following the assurance from the state government to avail the forms of Teacher's Eligibility Test (TET) in the hill districts within two days' time.

The state government representatives in a meeting with the student leaders on September 18 had assured that the TET forms would be made available in the hill districts from September 20 onwards.

According to Peter Mate, TET would also be held in the hill districts from next year onwards.

"The state government has assured us this in writing," disclosed the KSO chief.

Education Minister M Okendro, Principal Secretary in charge of Education Suresh Babu and tribal MLAs including Preshow Shimray, Z Kikhonbou Newmai, Alexander Pao, Victor Nunglung, G Varte and Memcha Kipgen and KSO leaders had participated in the September 18 meeting.

The KSO's 48-hour Manipur bandh was to begin from 5am of September 19 in protest against the non-issuing of TET forms in the hill districts.

On the other hand, on September 22, the Joint Committee of Hill District Student's Organisations had stated that they would never in the future accept further assurances from the government saying the assurance given by the state Education minister to the five student bodies earlier regarding opening of TET form distribution centres and exam centres in the hill district headquarters had turned out be as "nothingness" because the minister has not yet taken up any step to implement the demand.

They also said the Government lacks seriousness, particularly over tribal issues.

The Joint Committee had also stated that the state government had not taken the TET issue seriously and announced that from now onwards, the hill student bodies would never accept further assurances from the Government except fulfilling of demands with immediacy.

The government was not responding to the demand despite the assurance given to the student bodies in the earlier occasion and also the ultimatum served by the committee over the demand, the tribal student leader lamented.

These students' bodies had said the 48-hour strike was likely to be followed up by a serious of agitations in case the Government fails to initiate the right course of action so as to end the standoff.

TKS education secretary Ashung, who was also speaking at the press conference, warned any untoward incidents that may take place during the course of the shutdown in the five hill districts have to own up only by the state Government calling the demand a "serious matter" for the simple reason that they are demanding their rights.

"We are pushing for our rights to the Government.

It is nothing if only the state Government works it out," Ashung had asserted.

Our Tamenglong correspondent adds: Normal life remained severely disrupted today in Tamenglong District due to the 48housr bandh imposed by the five tribal student organisations since midnight of September 23 under the aegis of Joint Committee of Hill District Students' Organisation (JCHDSO) in protest against the alleged apathetic attitude of the state government towards setting up of Teacher's Eligibility Test (TET) form distribution centres as well as exam centres in all the hill district headquarters.

All shops and markets, government offices, school and institutions in Tamenglong district were totally shut for today.

The bandh supporters used catapults and sticks to chase away those coming out in defiance of the bandh.

In the morning, vegetable sellers and bandh supporters were seen engaging in heated arguments when the latter destroyed vegetables being sold.

Meanwhile, talking to this correspondent late evening today, ZSUM spokesman disclosed that there has been no positive response from the side of the government over the demand of the agitating student bodies.

So, JCHDSO is all set to intensify its agitation.