Student bodies appeal for sanity
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 12 2023:
At least six student organisations have appealed to the public to refrain from closing Central educational institutions while protesting against the Government and Assam Rifles for failing to control the violence.
MSF, DESAM, KSA, SUK, AIMS and another student organisation, in a joint statement, said that closing Central institutions such as RIMS, Manipur University, CAU, IIIT, NIT, CIPET, ICAR, NIELIT, ICM etc in Manipur will only affect the lives of people greatly and weaken the Manipur society.
Further stating that closing these Central institutions would be similar to 'chopping our own feet,' they appealed to all the people to withdraw the movement to close Central institutions in the larger interest of the students and the State.
Violence broke out on May 3 after the solidarity rally of ATSUM turned violent at Churachandpur.
Since then over 180 individuals have been killed while thousands of families have been displaced.
A section of people have been demanding complete withdrawal of Assam Rifles from Manipur on the charge that the paramilitary force is taking sides amid the violence while many others have accused the Central Government of playing with fire.