IMPHAL, January 18 (Newmai News Network): The All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) will go ahead with its proposed 24 hours Manipur bandh from the midnight of Friday. Talking to NNN, ATSUM president Muan Tombing said since no effort to address the demands of the tribal students’ body was seen from the government side, they have no other options but to go ahead with their agitation.
Meanwhile, Zeliangrong Students’ Union Manipur (ZSUM), Churachandpur District Students’ Union (CDSU) and Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS) have lambasted the Kuki Students Organization (KSO) and advised the latter ‘not to bark blindly’.
“The statement insulting the federating units of the ATSUM is ridiculous and does not hold any water in the eyes of the tribals. The three student bodies would like to question on the legitimacy of KSO in matters relating to ATSUM. To put the record straight, the KSO has never been a constituent body in the history of ATSUM in spite of the purported concern it repeatedly conveyed through the media. Further, the ATSUM rather assumes, for good reason, that KSO is crazy after the post, and not on the tribals’ issues. It is very shameful on the part of KSO to vehemently oppose the tribals’ platform to serve their vested interest,” ZSUM, TKS and CDSU stated.
Meanwhile, the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong and Zeliangrong Students’ Union, Manipur has questioned the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) for remaining silent after ‘repeated abuses’ of their association by KSO in “every press statement” as far as the ATSUM matter is concerned. The two student bodies said it will not be a mute spectator if ANSAM plays hide and seek game and hence seek clarification within three days’ time failing which, the two student bodies will be compelled to take its own course of decision.
It is worth noting that on January 10, All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) had threatened that it would impose a 24-hour Manipur bandh from midnight of January 18 if the demands apprised to the state government on November 27 last year are not addressed by the state government. ATSUM had further warned that in the event of the failure from the state government side to act even after the 24-hour bandh, the student body will announce its further course of action on January 20. On November 27 last year, ATSUM had apprised the government of Manipur to address issues pertaining to tribal people of Manipur and the hill districts. The apex tribal students’ body of Manipur in its lengthy memorandum submitted to the chief minister of Manipur had demanded Manipur State Commission for the Scheduled Tribes. ATSUM also demanded for the setting up of B.Ed centres in the hill districts. It also demanded that adequate teaching and non-teaching staff in the education institutions in the hill districts with better in frastructure. Signed by its president Maun Tombing and its general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang, ATSUM in its memorandum said, “It has been our long standing aspiration to find a State Commission of the Scheduled Tribes in Manipur under the Article 338A of the Indian Constitution which would usher in all round Development and progress in respect of thee Tribal people in this eastern most part of the Indian Union.”
