IMPHAL, December 18: The All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur, ATSUM will launch certain forms of agitation if the government do not consider its demands, informed spokesperson Majabung Gangmei at the Old Lambulane office of the student body.
Speaking to media persons this evening, the student body representative said the student body had submitted a memorandum to the government regarding its demand and waiting for the government to reply to it.
The memorandum with seven points was submitted on November 27, he said.
Elaborating further he said, the demands include setting up of the Manipur State Commission for the ST at the earliest and B.Ed Centres at all the five hill districts wherein TET can also be conducted.
“The crisis in the newly set up Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Regional Campus in Manipur is looming large towards a total break-down, as the authorities concerned have failed to look into its requirements including infrastructures and other issues”, he said.
The memorandum also includes ATSUM pleas to the government for intervention on the issue, he added.
The memorandum has also demanded adequate numbers of both teaching and non-teaching staffs in the educational institutions in the hill areas of Manipur state, including proper infrastructures for the institutes so as to facilitate smooth functioning of the academic sessions, he said.
The ATSUM has also demanded proper application of the Manipur reservation of vacancies in posts and Services (for ST and SC) Rules, 2011 published on 17/05/2011 while conducting DPC in respect of SC and ST requiring promotion, he said.
ATSUM has also demanded protection of the right of the indigenous tribal people over the land, forest and management of natural resources in the hill areas of Manipur, he added.
The student body representative also warned that ATSUM shall be compelled to mobilize for all kinds of action programmes and agitation through democratic means, should the government stay indifferent to the genuine demands.
It is demanded that the state government display leniency by reviewing the steps taken against the tribal people’s interests, he said while adding that the right of the indigenous people and the traditional systems are adversely affected by the state policy to disrobe the title of village Chief/headman as Ex-Officio Chairman by the arbitrary amendment of section 3(4) of the Manipur Hill village Authorities Act 1956.