ATSUM protests ADC Bill snub
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 17 2021: All Tribal Students' Union (ATSUM) reportedly organised symbolic demonstrations in all tribal villages of the state on Sunday in continuation of "the ongoing movement for securing the Constitutional Rights of Tribals vis-a-vis the demand for tabling of the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils Bill, 2021 recommended by Hill Areas Committee".

"This protest is in support of the ADC Billand in demand for convening a special session of Manipur Legislative Assembly to table and pass the said Bill at the earliest.

Such collective support demonstrated by all the tribal villages to this Bill which envisages equity in development, is extremely significant considering that they are the fundamental institutions of the tribal populace," it said.

ATSUM contended that "Manipur being a multi-ethnic state broadly divided into hills and valley, the administration of the state was distinctly arranged by the constitution of India to safeguard the interest of all ethnic communities.

For this, even before the attainment of Manipur statehood, Section 52 of the erstwhile Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 provided a provision for constituting a Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Manipur consisting of members representing the Hill Areas.

The Committee was empowered to look into affairs in the interest of the Hill Areas.

Later, a year before the Union Territory of Manipur became a statehood in 1972, a special provision for continuation of the existing safeguard for the Hill Areas was incorporated in the Indian Constitution through Article 371 C in 1971" .

The student body further stated that "The Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils Act 1971, has been amended several times at the whims and interest of whichever Government of the day without considering the desired interest or aspiration of the hill people thereby defeating the given constitutional intentions and provisions for the last 49 years.

The timely consciousness of the incumbent HAC Members to assert their constitutional legislative mandate and thereby act with full responsibility, has given a ray of hope across the length and breadth of all the Hill Areas as comprised in the first schedule of the HAC order of 1972.However, to the dismay of the tribals, the Bill was abruptly denied illegally by the State Government and ignored throughout the Monsoon Session".

ATSUM then recalled, "Taking strong exception to the State Government's unconstitutipnal refusal to table the ADC Bill 2021, ATSUM has been unwaveringly spearheading a movement demanding the State Government to table and pass the Bill into an Act.

The movement started with calling 24 hours total shut down in all the hill districts on August 23 followed by a Tribal Consultative Meeting on August 24 at Motbung and series of consultations and declarations made in all the hill districts and boycotting the State Government's appeasement-oriented initiatives particularly the "Go to Hills 2.0" programme.

During this historic collective tribal movement in the state, tribal populace has witnessed several turbulences from within and outside through various mechanisms and scheming to deter the collective movement.

However, the tribal unity has not only sustained but grown stronger to understand and demand our constitutional and legitimate rights with the unceasing support and prayers of the tribal populace".

It pointed out the Bill aims to bridge the disproportionate development between hills and valley of the State without disturbing any constitutional rights of the non-tribal population.

"ATSUM has every obligation to initiate and spearhead such tribal collective movement to secure our overdue rights and bridge our tribal disparity in development.

We are deeply humbled and overwhelmed to witness the support and unity of all tribal villages in voicing our demand to table and pass the Bill into an Act.

This historic collective gesture will mark our new unity as we strive together until we achieve our constitutional goals," it added.

ATSUM expressed gratitude to all tribal villages, churches, ANSAM, KSO, its Federating units and various student organisations for responding enormously to the clarion call of ATSUM to extend prayer support and symbolic demonstration in support of the HAC recommended ADC Bill 2021".It then earnestly appealed to all the tribal politicians, apex Hohos/Inpis, tribal Mothers, CSOs, student leaders/communities and tribal populace to stay united and not succumb to lucrative material/monetary offerings etc, tribal rights.

ATSUM also asked the state government to consider "our rights as equal citizens and stop taking the tribal communities for a ride through policies of division and appeasement.

Instead we appeal to the Government and the Governor to end this impasse immediately by summoning a special session to table and pass the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils Bill, 2021 into an Act".

"Today's support to the movement across the tribes and political parties in all the tribal villages of the State is a huge morale boost not only for ATSUM but for the tribals.

This is the first step in rolling out our tribal movement in the state after ATSUM has been endorsed and mandated by all the different tribal communities living in the state of Manipur.

We will leave no stone unturned to realize our goals as envisaged and protected by the Constitution of India," it concluded.

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