DESAM burns effigies of MU VC, CM, Union HRD Minister
Stir intensifies, 12 students, 2 cops hurt in stand off
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 17 2018: With the students' movement for removal of MU Vice Chancellor Prof Adya Prasad Pandey escalating further, DESAM volunteers burnt effigies of the VC, Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Union Minister for HRD Prakash Javadekar in front of the Kangla Western Gate today.

At least 12 volunteers of the students' organization and two police personnel were injured in the confrontation between the two sides at two different spots.

The first incident happened at Kangla Western Gate when a police team led by Imphal West Additional SP Th Krishnatombi tried to stop DESAM volunteers from burning effigies and shouting slogans.

The police team which arrived some minutes later after the effigies were set afire and asked the protesters to leave the place but student volunteers refused to move away.

Soon, a confrontation broke out between the two sides.

As police started charging the students with batons, one police personnel and a protester wrestled with each other.

The police team then arrested a DESAM volunteer from the spot, put him inside a Gypsy and drove away towards Nityaipat Chuthek.

The irate protesters too chased the police Gypsy shouting/asking to leave the arrested protester.

One protester was injured in police action at the spot.

As the protesters reached the traffic junction of Nityaipat Chuthek, a large number of police tried to prevent them from closing any further using barricades.

However, many of the irate protesters managed to escape and ran towards the CM's Bungalow and knocked at the gate of CM Bungalow despite police attempt to foil it.

A strong confrontation took place between the protesters and police again at the spot and the police resorted to lathi-charging the protesters.

The police personnel chased the protesters upto the point where Telephone Bhawan office stands.

At least three other DES AM volunteers were arrested and they were taken inside Imphal PS.

Later many of the protesters assembled again in front of the CM Bungalow and protested demanding release of the arrested protesters and apology from Additional SP Krishnatombi.

Many high ranking officers of Manipur Police, including IGP L Kailun also arrived at the spot and tried to negotiate and pacify the protesters.

However, as the protesters stuck to the demands for release of arrested fellow protesters and apology from the Additional SP, confrontation between the two sides ensued again wherein the police again lathi-charged and dispersed the protesters.

At least seven DESAM volunteers, including 3 women are said to have been arrested while 12 others sustained injuries.

On the other hand, two police personnel too were injured in the confrontation.

Speaking by the sideline of the protest, DESAM president Salam Akash declared that DESAM will continue to carry out intensified modes of agitation any time, anywhere until MU VC Professor Adya Prasad Pandey is removed and the MU impasse is resolved.

He said that the Union HRD Ministry should take the ever worsening MU impasse seriously and do the needful to resolve it as the students of the university have not been able to attend classes for 48 days.

Saying that any decision made by the HRD Ministry, Central Government and State Government should not be against the will of the students and people of the State, the DESAM president also demanded the State Government to take up immediate action against the police personnel who were involved in assaulting students in yesterday's protest at BJP, Manipur head office that allegedly led to the serious injury to DESAM general secretary Shital Oinam.

He also conveyed that he along with the vice president of the students' organization met Governor Najma Heptulla in the afternoon and urged her to exert pressure on the Central Government to resolve the MU impasse.

He said that they apprised the Governor about the MU impasse and its adverse impacts on the students of the university and colleges affiliated to it.

He also appealed to all sections of the society not to project the movement in the wrong light while asserting that the movement is purely a movement to make Manipur University a place of sanctity and save the human resources of the State from the hands of corrupt people.

He added that DESAM will also support the 48 hours State-wide general strike called by MUSU against the authorities' indifference to the collective agitation of MUSU, MUTA and MUSA for dismissal of VC Professor AP Pandey.

Meanwhile, Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA)'s HRD secretary Romen Soibamcha during a press meet held today at its head office at Khuyathong has conveyed that KSA in association with North East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) launched a signature campaign for removal of MU VC Adya Prasad Pandey in the State since yesterday.

Stating that the campaign will be conducted in all States of the North-East, Romen added that the copies of the signatures will be submitted to the President, Prime Minister, Union HRD Minister as well as to the Governors and Chief Ministers of all the North Eastern States.

Students of CC Higher Secondary and Johnstone Higher Secondary also staged protest demonstrations in front of their respective schools today.

The protests were organized in denunciation of police action against protesters and DESAM volunteers in yesterday's protest at the gate of BJP head office.

The protesters demanded immediate suspension of the police personnel involved in assaulting student protesters.

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