IMPHAL, February 24: The students` union of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University-Regional Campus Manipur (IGNTU-RCM) took out a protest rally today from its campus to the Manipur Legislative Assembly demanding that the government must fulfil its charter of demands.
The president of the students`™ union, K Bowang Kho stated that the union has urged the government to appoint a full-time director of the University, adding that the State government has backed off from its assurance that it will provide adequate staffs in the university. Even though the demands were genuine and need-based, the government still has failed to address the issue, he said.
In today`s protest, the student body demanded the government to repair the approach road leading to Makan village from the NH-2 and to provide water supply facilities and electricity in the said village. Stating the reason for taking out the rally, the student leader said the current IGNTU-RCM campus located at Adimjati Shiksha Ashram, Chingmeirong is a temporary one and the permanent campus of the IGNTU-RCM is located at Makan village near Kangpokpi in Senapati district.
Before taking out the protest rally, the students`™ body lambasted the three tribal legislators of the State on the ground that they should be leading the charge in getting the issues addressed but are instead taking a huge interest in proposed Sangai University, which is yet to be materialised. In a written statement, the students`™ body said that it was a matter of deep regret to find the so-called tribal legislators who are supposed to spearhead the issues and welfare of the tribal people are least interested in issues concerning the tribals, adding that a case in point was the participation of tribal legislators like Dr Chaltonlien Amo, chairman of Hill Areas Committee, Dr Alexandra Pao and Samuel Risom who as members of the committee to set-up the Sangai University, are taking an active interest in the money minting project of the State government.
It further continued that the State government and tribal minsters who are taking a keen interest in setting up a private university should instead concentrate on developing the existing central university which will cost little time and money.