'Make every Friday holiday' call given
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 26 2023:
The Joint Students' Body, Churachandpur has demanded that all government institutions in the town observe every Friday as a holiday.
According to NE Now News, the students' body said that it is a form of resistance against the 'state-sponsored' ethnic cleansing that is taking place in the state.
Joint Students' Body said that the ongoing violence has affected all walks of life in Churachandpur.
"Apart from our martyrs who are waiting for their last rites in Lamka Medical College, our martyrs in RIMS, JNIMS, and other hospitals at Imphal Valley are yet to be identified and brought to their respective home districts for their last rites.
The situation we are in now is a matter of survival as we have no other option but to save ourselves from being wiped off the face of the earth," the statement said.
Stating that many people have been killed, and many more displaced from their homes, it contended that the government has failed to adequately address the violence and that they are now taking matters into their own hands.
The students' demand for a weekly holiday is a symbolic gesture of their resistance to the government's inaction.
"In order to make the government (of the Centre and Manipur) hear and as a form of resistance against the government under N Biren Singh, the Joint Students' Body, Lamka had adopted a resolution on August 18, 2023, stating that "all institutions of the government of Manipur, including government schools/colleges in the town, to observe every Friday as a holiday," it added.
The Body said that they will continue to protest until the government takes steps to stop the violence and protect the rights of the people of Churachandpur and urged authorities concerned to comply with their "Standing Resolution" in the interest of public welfare.
The students' body warned that failure to comply with their demand will lead to "unnecessary provocations" that could have a negative impact on the town and its surrounding areas.