Appoint indigenous person as CS: ATSUM, DESAM and AIMS
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 29 2020: Reiterating its unequivocal stance on the appointment of an indigenous IAS to the post of the Chief Secretary, All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM), Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) and Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS) warns that any attempt on the part of the Government of Manipur to subvert the collective desire of the people will be opposed tooth and nail.

A press release jointly issued by the three student's bodies reminded that they had signed an MoU with the Government of Manipur in the presence of the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues on June 9, 2018 with the assurance that native officers will be given preference in the appointment of the CS, in future.

But now, we have got inklings that there is an earnest attempt on the part of the Government to appoint a non-native IAS officer thereby showing contemptuous rebuff on the MoU all for the arm-twisting of their 'political bosses' at New Delhi and Nagpur, it said and alleged that a non-local IAS officer who had been on deputation for so many years during his heydays has returned on learning that the CS post will be vacant on the 31st of July.

Stating that Manipur cannot afford to have a CS who is bereft of the peoples blessing and our elected representatives but whose loyalty is located somewhere else, the students' bodies said that as the appointment of a CS, which is the prerogative of the Chief Minister, should be done in harmony with the people's wishes and sentiments.

It vexes one's sentiments on learning that this blue-eyed boy had been swaggering around the secretariat office that his appointment was a fait accompli and none except him will be awarded the CS post.

The arrogance he had displayed and the sheer disdain he had shown to his compatriots and subordinates keeps one wondering whether all-important political and administrative posts should commence at Delhi or somewhere else.

If this is going to the trend of Manipur's governance surely we are heading for trouble, it added.

Asking why is there the need to import a non-native officer whose understanding of the ground realities of Manipur, its people, habits, customs, languages, the complexities of dealing with insurmountable problems that the state is afflicted with, etc is at best nil when we have capable officers who are au fait with the nitty-gritty of Manipur, the student bodies lamented that we have IAS officers who had been diligently serving the State for decades without asking for central deputations all for their zeal to serve their people.

They also said that the people of Manipur cannot afford to have another 'Robert Clive' who is being fulminated by Indian historians for his insensitivity towards the people of Bengal during the nascent stages of Indian colonialism but who also sailed away with enormous amounts of ill-gotten loots to London after his superannuation.

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