Imphal, October 24 2009: "Today's class boycott is a justified fight for right to education as right to education is meaningless without right to life", asserted the AMSU, MSF and KSA.

Sticking to their stand of supporting the Apunba Lup's decision not to retrace a single step from the ongoing movement, the AMSU, MSF and KSA have declared that they would never roll back the class boycott movement until the people's demands are realised.

A joint statement issued by the three student bodies claimed that the people's movement being spear-headed by the Apunba Lup is in sight of victory.

The movement has crossed the stage where the Government cannot suppress it anymore.

After taking recourse to different means and measures to subdue the people's movement, the Government has now started using different organisations to weaken the movement.

Different organisations may take thousands and thousands of decisions but the MSF, AMSU and KSA are determined to reduce all these decisions to nought.

Stating that they too would like to make educational institutions free zones, the student bodies asked the intention behind the vocal criticism being raised only now when the movement is approaching its destination and when all the people should muster all their strength and courage.

Recalling that text books prescribed by Manipur Board (BSEM) were confiscated from young students and set on fire in hill districts a few years back, the student bodies asked if such 'free style' practices were permissible in educational institutions for which free zone status is sought.

They also questioned what those students well versed in interpreting the meaning of 'free zone' did when the text books were consigned to flames like the historic burning of puyas.

"Were they making educational institutions totally free zones by burning some schools in hill districts after burning the text books?, the AMSU, MSF and KSA posed.

"Didn't they feel anything about making educational institutions free zones, as they feel now, when they left thousands of students in the lurch after taking them to Nagaland to appear in Nagaland Board exam where they were not allowed?, they continued.

Those organisations who extended physical and moral support when an influential hill based student body decided to snap all ties with Manipur are now viewing the AMSU, MSF and KSA in the wrong light when they ban exams conducted by Board and Council this time.

The student bodies clarified that they never view hill students and valley students separately.

Decrying that some self-proclaimed social organisations have started putting up different questions whereas they never spoke a single word all these days even as a strong people's movement has been raging for the last three months, the student bodies asserted that these social organisations are supporters of the anti-people Government.

Pointing out that the ongoing movement is not some plays or dramas, the AMSU, MSF and KSA maintained that the movement would find its end only with a logical solution.

For those elements scheming to present the class boycott movement in the wrong light, it is possible that they might perceive the nude protest of the 12 Meira Paibis in front of Kangla Gate in 2004 is some wrongful perspective.

Addressing those individuals/organisations deliberating on merits and demerits of the class boycott movement, the MSF, AMSU and KSA asked as to why they never bothered to discuss the July 23 Khwairamband killings on a public platform.

Asking if any student can attend classes if their parents, brothers/sisters and neighbours are killed wantonly, the student bodies pointed out the need for secure environment and necessary infrastructure.

Reminding that educational institutions were closed down in some States of India when swine flu broke out there, the student bodies asserted that the class boycott movement is a strategy to save the people of Manipur from 'Ibobi-Commando flu' which is allegedly more deadly than swine flu.

Stating they banned all activities of Board and Council in the interest of students who could not attend their class, the AMSU, MSF and KSA reiterated their appeal to all teachers not to take part in any activity of the Board and the Council.

Comment