IMPHAL, February 9: The Pangal Students`™ Organisation must know that 90 percent of the students in Moirangpurel Government High School are minorities, clarified Andro A/C MLA Thounaojam Shyamkumar.
Further clarifying against the allegation the Moirangpurel Government High School is wrongly constructed under the Imphal East District CD block-2 Multi Sectarian Development Programme (MSDP) at a press meet in his official quarter, he said 90 percent of the students studying in Moirangpurel Government High School are mostly from the minority communities such as Meitei Christians, Muslims, Tribals etc.
The school located in a backward village near the hillocks at a junction of the Phungyar A/C and Saikul A/C is about 37 Kms away from Imphal, he added.
The PSO has charged the school as having been constructed wrongly and thereby has revealed its narrow mindedness without even knowing the definition of Minority communities under section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, he said. Presuming Muslims are the only minority community, and demanding development only in Muslim areas without considering about other minorities is unfortunate, he added.
In Andro, there have been no case of discrimination on grounds of religion, community, caste etc till date. In Changantabi area, a primary school for minority students is now under construction under the MSDP. The constructions of rooms with standard furniture have been completed and now minority students are studying there. It is the opinion of people in Andro that one should not be look down only for being a minority, he added.
The PSO should make allegations after knowing the ground reality of the Moriangpurel Government High School which is in great demand by the people, Shyamkumar said.
As an MLA, Shyamkumar said, he has never tried to take away the rights of minorities in Andro A/C and has instead only delivered his service equally to all the people. He said he was elected as the representative of the Andro A/C and would never try to discriminate against any minorities, appealing the PSO to go through the guidelines for minorities to understand the reality.
On the other hand, he said, the issue of an order by the Ukhrul DC on February 5 that a mosque should be demolished for the construction of a District and Session Court in Ukhrul within a short period is unfortunate. The area where the mosque stands was allotted to the Muslims for performing their rituals since September 28, 1995 by the State government, he added.
Surprisingly, the Ukhrul DC Harisheekesh Modak has issued an order on February 5 that the area must be vacated for the construction of the Court within two day which suggest that the State government looks down on the Minority Muslims, he opined.
`The Ukhrul DC should know what type of a country India is?` he asked, instructing the DC to know that India is a secular country and the building or mosque was allotted to whom by what for which purpose.
He should not act randomly on his own and act against the law, he stressed.
The Chief Minister who is expected to lay the foundation stone on February 12 must cancel his visit in the interest of minority communities to stop creating communal tension in the State, he said, adding such act is against humanity and the rights of minorities.