Several organisations have come out strongly against the indefinite Manipur state wide bandh call by the Thadou Student’s Association-General Headquarters (TSA-GHQ), Rongmei Naga Student’s Organisation (RNSO) and Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR). The three student organizations had announced to impose an indefinite Manipur bandh from Friday, July 6, alleging that the government had not implemented its promise of recruiting tribal language (MIL) lecturers at the higher secondary schools in the State.
Meanwhile, the All Tribal Student’s Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has appealed Thadou Students’ Association, General Headquarters (TSA-GHQ), Rongmei Naga Students’ Organisation and Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR) to call off the proposed indefinite state-wide bandh scheduled to begin from July 6, “as the apex tribal student body ATSUM is consistently pursuing the issue of recruitment of MIL lecturers in higher secondary schools under ATSUM’s Charter of Demands and is also at the verge of implementation”.
The Kuki Student Organisation (KSO), Imphal Branch has also strongly opposed to the indefinite statewide bandh. “The bandh is also an indirect affront towards KSO Imphal Branch which is organising its annual felicitation programme on July 6,” the Kuki student body said.
“The issues of recruitment of tribal language (MIL) lecturers and the precarious situations in Manipur University are matters which are in the capable hands of the apex tribal student body, ATSUM. The issues concern not only some tribes alone but all the tribes in the state. Therefore, the TSA, LNKR and RNSO are advised to support ATSUM on these issues rather than going independently by doing cheap publicity stunt of calling an indefinite statewide bandh which is beyond their ambit of power and influence,” the Kuki student body advised the three student bodies who have announced to call the indefinite Manipur bandh.
Likewise the Zeliangrong Student’s Union, Manipur said that it is illogical act and it’s directly challenged to the apex student’s body like ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO-GHQ.
They also said that the recruitment of tribal language (MIL) lecturers would be tackled by ATSUM with the systematic procedural of the interest of tribal community.
Hence, the Zeliangrong dominated areas in Manipur will not allow to impose any bandh without the knowledge and guidelines from the ATSUM.