IMPHAL, Feb 10 (NNN): The agitation of the All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has been suspended temporarily since 6 pm today. ATSUM leaders informed NNN that following the invitation from the state government for talks, the students` body has decided to suspend its agitation.
Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (RD & PR) minister Francis Ngajokpa and MLA Kikhonbou had a meeting with the ATSUM leaders today. The state government representatives and ATSUM leaders will further hold a meeting on the demands of the tribal students` body on February 16 at 3 pm.
ATSUM has been agitating since February 3 midnight banning all the ongoing construction works of the national projects in the hill districts. The most affected project has been the rail-line construction of Imphal-Silchar.
Mention may be made here that ATSUM on November 27 last year, ATSUM had apprised the government of Manipur to address issues pertaining to the 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 a Manipur State Commission for the Scheduled Tribes. ATSUM also demanded for the setting up of B.Ed centres in the hill districts and adequate teaching and non-teaching staff in the education institutions in the hill districts with better infrastructure.