Imphal, August 25: Even as AMSU, MSF and DESAM pledged to continue the text book surrender agitation, attempts by students of Nambol to surrender their text books was foiled by the police though students at Jiribam managed to surrender their books to the district administration.

The attempt of students of St John English School, Nambol to surrender their text books was foiled with the timely arrival of the police who cordoned off of SDO office at Nambol.

However students of Jiribam Dibong Junior High School students successfully carried out the stir surrendering their text books to the Jiribam ADC.

It is pertinent to mention mat the State Government had declared holiday for all educational institutions of the valley districts after the student bodies had announced that they would surrender their text books as part of the agitation from today.

Flaying the State Government for closing down educational institutions, a joint press statement of the student bodies termed the decision as unfortunate and clearly exposes the intention of the O Ibobi Government to foil any democratic form of agitation through brute force of the State machinery.

Though students are expected to pursue their studies at their institutions, the students themselves had decided to surrender their text books to highlight the fact that they can no longer pursue their academic career under duress, said the statement.

The current agitation should not be seen through the narrow prism of merely demanding the AFSPA from Manipur alone but should be understood in the bigger context of enabling the citizens to live without any threat to their livelihood.

The people of Manipur aspire to live as free citizens and not become targets of armed forces under the immunity granted by AFSPA, highlighted the bodies.

The crackdown on student agitation and preemptive measure of closing down educational institutions also contradicts the assertion of O Ibobi that all democratic forms of agitation in pursuance of the people's demand is acceptable and would be allowed, reminded the bodies.

It also regretted that rather than perusing details for an amicable solution to the impending social crisis the Chief Minister is using all available security force strength to muffle the genuine outcry of the rights curtailed people of Manipur.

While questioning the sincerity and integrity of the Chief Minister to address the plight of the people, the joint statement also reminded the MLAs and MPs that deadline to tender step down from their respective posts has lapsed today and people's wrath falling upon them could not be ruled out.

The student bodies condoling the deaths of K Memita and P Chittaranjan Mangang said their sacrifices have paved the way for opposing AFSPA with renewed vigor.

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