ATSUM warns of 24-hr bandh
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 10, 2011:
All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has today expressed its "angst and anxiety" on the "adulteration" of DRDA/ED and has warned of imposing a 24-hour total bandh starting February 17 midnight next.
In a joint meeting today by the constituent units of ATSUM which include Churachandpur District Students' Union (CDSU), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), Naga Students' Union Chandel (NSUC), Senapati District Students' Association (SDSA) and Zaliagrong Students' Union Manipur (ZSUM) under the banner All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM), have unanimously adopted to press ahead with the current issues of ATSUM especially concerning the aggrieved adulteration of DRDA/ED to the detriments of the tribal people in hill area.
ATSUM has been demanding rectification on issues like inadvertent evading of the Rules of the Manipur Reservation of Vacancies in Post and Service (for SC and ST) Act, 2007 and its objection to 200 point roster as against the earlier 100 points.
Extension of the service of contract basis teachers in the hill districts for one academic year, discrimination of STs in the promotion of Leading Firemen, the issue of chief engineer in Public Health Education Dept (PHED) etc.
It has also been demanding for the revocation of the State cabinet decision of posting senior Manipur Civil Service officer as executive director of DRDA without due consultation with Hill Areas Committee of the State assembly.
It has termed the cabinet decision as devoid of any "rationality and justification" and has demanded for reverting back to the earlier way wherein the concerned deputy commissioner of the district was the executive director as prescribed under the Central guidelines.
The recruitment of SOs in MSRRDA of RD & PR department in total contravention to the convention practiced by the State government regarding reservation is not acceptable to the tribal people, it said, adding that the reply coming from the concerned minister as against clarification sought to that effect lacked logic and "we condemn in highest level".
It has demanded that either the posts are filled with due representation of the tribals or terminate the whole process and recruit new SOs with proper representation.
On issues such as recruitment and promotion of under secretary and committee officers in the Manipur assembly secretariat, staffs in engineering cell of the department of school education and in the promotion of leading firemen to SO under fire services, ATSUM has alleged that these recruitments and promotions are done against the State's reservation norms and guidelines and has demanded cancellation or rectification with due representation of the tribals.
The non accomplishment of reservation rules is construed as an insult to the Act as well as to the deserving communities in question, it said.Seeing no sign of turnover on the part of the State government in spite of repeated reminders, ATSUM have resorted to closure of government institutions in all the five hill districts since February 1, 2011, it said.In order to demonstrate its utter angst and anxiety, ATSUM will not be lying low until its legitimate demands are met, it said, adding that it will continue to take various forms of agitation at its disposal including a 24-hour bandh starting from February 17, 2011 midnight followed by restriction of all commercial goods carriers entering Imphal.
It has asked all the DCs in the hill districts and senior Manipur Civil Service officers who are posted as executive director of DRDA to refrain from taking charge of the offices and not to hurt the already wounded sentiments of the tribal peoples till the tangible realization of its demands.
It has also appealed the general population to understand its grievances and support its cause in all possible ways.