Tribal students call 48-hour bandh and 5-day economic blockade on the trot
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, March 14 2011: Miffed at the "lackadaisical attitude" of the STATE government on its demands, the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has intensified its on-and-off agitation by resorting to a series of agitation with a 48-hour total bandh in all the tribal areas from midnight of March 21 and a 5-day (extendable indefinitely) economic blockade from midnight of March 23 in both national and state highways.

The meeting delved and vetted the "unfinished agenda and demands placed before the state government".

"Due to the lackadaisical attitude of the State government of Manipur over the rightful and justified demands of the tribal peoples, the following (3-point) decisions are adopted unanimously," said ATSUM president Thomas Taishya and Apao Haokip.

The first point said that to re-commence the closure of government institutions in all the hill districts of the state which was suspended following the holding of Cultural Exchange Program recently with more vigor from today.

The second adopted to call 48-hour total bandh in all the tribal areas (both plain and hills) with effect from midnight March 21 till midnight March 23 next.

While, the third point resolved that a 5-day economic blockade will be imposed on all national and state highways of the State from midnight March 23 till midnight March 28 next which is extendable indefinitely if the demands of the tribal students' body are not met by this time.

ATSUM has been demanding rectification on issues like inadvertent evading of the Rules of the Manipur Reservation of Vacancies in Post and Service (for SC and ST) Act, 2007 and its objection to 200 point roster as against the earlier 100 points.

Extension of the service of contract basis teachers in the hill districts for one academic year, discrimination of STs in the promotion of Leading Firemen, the issue of chief engineer in Public Health Education Department (PHED) etc.

It has also been demanding for the revocation of the State cabinet decision of posting senior Manipur Civil Service officer as executive director of DRDA without due consultation with Hill Areas Committee of the State assembly.

It has termed the cabinet decision as devoid of any "rationality and justification" and has demanded for reverting back to the earlier way wherein the concerned deputy commissioner of the district was the executive director as prescribed under the Central guidelines.

The recruitment of SOs in MSRRDA of RD & PR department in total contravention to the convention practiced by the State government regarding reservation is not acceptable to the tribal people, it said, adding that the reply coming from the concerned minister as against clarification sought to that effect lacked logic and "we condemn in highest level".

It has demanded that either the posts are filled with due representation of the tribals or terminate the whole process and recruit new SOs with proper representation.

The Union has also sought explanation from the government on the painfully slow progress of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in the State and has asked for the expedition of the process.

ATSUM will not be lying low until its legitimate demands are met, it had earlier said, adding that it will rather continue to take various forms of agitation at its disposal for which the State government will be solely responsible.

It had asked all the deputy commissioners in the hill districts and senior Manipur Civil Service (MCS) officers who are posted as executive director of DRDA to refrain from taking charge of the offices and not to hurt the already wounded sentiments of the tribal peoples.

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