Hunger Marchers' Day observed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 27 2009: Along with taking out a mass rally, the 44th Hunger Marchers' Day was observed today with the main highlight being paying tributes to Nilamani, Nabakumar, Chaobhal and Pramodini, the four student leaders who were martyred during the August 27, 1965 agitation against artificial scarcity of rice in the State.

Held under the aegis of All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), the observance began since early morning at the Pishum Chingamacha memorial of the martyred student leaders with rendering of Yakairol.

Afterward, AMSU president Jamesbond Mangang hoisted the flag of the student body and led the public in offering floral tributes to the martyred student leaders.

People paying tribute at the memorial site of the four student leaders in connection with the Hunger Marchers' Day on August 27

From there a mass rally attended by thousands of students coming from various schools was taken out till NCC ground at Thangmeiband where a public meeting was organised.

Flagged off from Pishum Chingamacha Memorial site, the rally which was led by decorated palanquins carrying the photographs of the martyred student leaders passed through Pishum Leirak and came out at National Highway 39 Indo-Burma Road.

From there the rally snaked through Yumnam Leikai Ngakrabam Leirak, Mayai Lambi, Keishamthong, Keishampat, Wahengbam Leikai, Maharani Bridge, Nagamapal, Khoyathong Crossing and converged at NCC ground, Thangmeiband.

The public meeting held at NCC ground proceeded with AMSU president Jamesbond Mangang and Principal of DM College of Science G Tomba Sharma taking the dais as functional president and guest of honour respectively.

Giving the key note address, general secretary of AMSU Md Alamgir expressed concern over shrinking of available agricultural lands as a result of ever increasing population and urbanisation on one hand and taking over of cultivable land by the Government in the name of developmental projects on the other.

In such a situation, what would be future of Manipuri society after 30 years is not hard to predict.

Yet the Government appears to be unperturbed, he lamented, adding that its time to think over how a self-sufficient society like Manipur has become dependent on others for food grain today.

Quoting statistical record, he said that till 1975 Manipur was able to meet its food requirement.

But after this Manipur has not been able to feed its own people without bringing in food grain from outside.

Those who spoke at the occasion also highlighted that along with dependent on others for food grain, influx of migrant workers have taken over the available job market of the native people.

This has led to emergence of a class of frustrated youths who are educated but jobless.

As part of the observance, a blood donation camp had also been arranged by the doctors of Blood Bank of RIMS Hospital at the office complex of AMSU.

Around 75 persons donated their blood at the camp.