NESO condemns midnight raid at MU
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 25 2018: The North East Students' Organisation (NESO) has strongly condemned the midnight crackdown on Manipur University campus on September 20 by a combined team of Manipur police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

A press release issued by the association today conveyed that the police brutalities and atrocities against the peaceful students, are highly condemnable.

The midnight crackdown on the university campus and the arrest of 6 teachers and 90 students, militarization of the campus by deploying security personnel, are reflections of dictatorial and martial attitude and behaviour of the Government, which claims to be pro-people and democratic, it alleged.

The association alleged that the dictatorial, martial and brutal actions of the security forces personnel were well orchestrated by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), the State Government and the Central Government and added that the crackdown was carried out in the interest of the suspended Vice Chancellor, Prof AP Pandey to fulfil their mission of saffronisation of the university since the university community has been demanding the removal of Pandey following an enquiry by an independent fact finding body on various charges of corrup-" tion, abuse of power, negligence of duties and violations of the University Act.

It further claimed that the return of normalcy at the university after 85 days of agitation following a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the MHRD, State Government and the university community was disturbed and violated by the Government by appointing Prof K Yugindro Singh as the Pro VC of the university on the recommendation of AP Pandey, who is on forced leave till the end of the enquiry against him and action taken based on the report of the enquiry, by violating the Manipur University Act.

NESO then demanded the arrested teachers and the students to be released unconditionally at the earliest to bring normalcy at the University as well as to free MU from the siege by security forces.

It also demanded the tyranny of the Government in the university to be stopped immediately and for the university community to be given their rights of determining the future of the university.

NESO further said that it will extend full support and solidarity to the university community and the students' organisations and civil society organisations that are fighting to save Manipur University.

On the other hand, National Identity Protection Council (NIPCO) and Apunba Manipur Kanba Ima Lup (AMKIL) have announced that the 18th Manipur Integrity and Solidarity Day observation will not be observed as a mark of solidarity to the movement of the MU community and the people in connection with the MU crisis.

The organizations also declared that they will support the 48 hours statewide bandh called by AMSU, DESAM, MSF, KSA, SUK and AIMS from tomorrow midnight.

Addressing a press meet held at the head office of NIPCO at Keishampat Junction today evening, president of the organization, O Premjit informed that NIPCO and AMKIL have decided not to observe this year's Manipur Integrity and Solidarity Day slated on September 28 .

He reminded that the two organizations, along with the people of the State, have been observing the event annually as remembrance of the one of the largest mass public rally in South East Asia which was organised in 2000 .

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