IMPHAL, May 22 (NNN): An “Intense agitation` for 38 hours under the name ROTO (Reckoning of the Others) will begin from 5 am of June 3 to be followed by another 38 hours of `sustained agitation` by the All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) in protest against various demands put up by the students` body to the state government of Manipur on tribal issues being ignored.
ATSUM president Muan Tombing, its general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang and ATSUM spokesman Majabung Gangmei announced this at its office in Imphal this afternoon.
By `intense agitation`, ATSUM means total bandh while by `sustained agitation`, the students` body said way of sudden resorting of any action at any available opportunity and at any place to draw the attention of the government.
The number `38 hours` denotes the number of tribes in Manipur.
ATSUM pesident Maun Tombing, its general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang and ATSUM spokesman Majabung Gangmei said that ATSUM`s long standing aspiration has been to set up a State Commission of the Scheduled Tribes in Manipur under 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. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes which came in to force on 19th February, 2004 has failed to provide adequate service to the state of Manipur a it is based on the distant centre in Shillong, they stated.
ATSUM said it also protests against the deletion of additional/alternative English and imposition of Major Indian Language (MIL) in Meitei Mayek in class ten in the Board of School Education, Manipur (BOSEM) to be affective from 2014 on the 38 tribes by the government whose dialects are yet to be recognised in Manipur.
Muan and Vareiyo said the ATSUM also demands for the effective governance in the hill districts of Manipur.