Imphal, October 05: Kuki Students' Organization, General Headquarters (KSO-GHq) and All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) while warning of resorting to "a joint struggle" to have a separate "Hill University" in Manipur, have endorsed the demands of Manipur University Tribal Students' Union (MUTSU) with regard to the recruitment issue in Manipur University.

The two student bodies said that it will also fully support the October 6/7 bandh.

It is pertinent to note that Manipur University Tribal Students' Union (MUTSU) and All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) have decided to impose a State wide bandh from 6 am of October 6 to 6 pm of the following day to press their demands with regard to the reservation issue in Manipur University.

Interacting with NNN on Sunday, KSO-GHq president P Simte and ANSAM president David Choro said that the two student bodies have agreed to support the MUTSU's demands "for equitable reservation or quota in all recruitments in Manipur University".

Justifying their stand, the two student leaders said, "The 34.2% reservation for the Scheduled Tribes at all levels in the teaching and non-teaching staff in Manipur should be maintained at all costs".

David Choro and P Simte reminded the past development and said that the agreement that was arrived at in the meeting among the Prime Minister, the State government and MUTSU/ ATSUM in february 2008 at New Delhi should be strictly adhered to.

Therefore, there should not be any kind of recruitment process in Manipur University until and unless special provision to ensure the 34.2% quota is incorporated as promised by the Prime Minister of India," asserted the KSO and ANSAM leaders.

"The KSO and ANSAM are pained to state that there has been a systematic deprivation of Scheduled Tribe seats in the recruitment of teaching and non teaching staff in Manipur University even before the University was upgraded to the status of Central University.

Gross violation of recruitment norms has been practiced in the 25 years history of Manipur University depriving the tribal people of their fare share of quota," alleged P Simte and David Choro.

While threatening to impose 'a total1 bandh' in the event of the University Vice ' Chancellor going ahead with his decision in conducting interview for guest lecturers in History on October 6 and October 7, the KSO and ANSAM said that they will ensure that no interview is underway on those slated days.

"We will support the MUTSU in whatever action they contemplate to carry, out in order to stop any kind of recruitment in the University," pledged the Kuki and Naga student leaders.

"The gentlemen's agreement of the Prime Minister, the State Govt and the tribal students' representatives should be respected in letter and spirit by all concerned.

The genuine cause of the MUTSU's struggle for their rights should be understood by the people in its entirety," further asserted the KSO and ANSAM leaders while adding, "The day is not far behind when the tribal students will take up a joint struggle to realize a separate Hill University in the state if the current imbroglio of reservation issue, continues to persist".

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