IMPHAL, May 14:To protest the alleged indiffer-ent attitude of the Govt of Manipur to its charter of de-mands, the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) has announced a State-wide bandh from 6 am to 6 pm of May 17.
This was decided during an executive meeting of ATSUM held on May 10, according to the tribal apex student body’s representation to the CM, which was also made available to the press.
Separate State Commission for ST, issuance of offer forms to 217 Higher Secondary lecturers recommended by MPSC, declaration of results for recruitment of 280 Asst Professors conducted under MPSC, setting up of B Ed Centres in the hills, regularisation of adhoc teachers, bifurcation of power to Additional Director Hills, Educa- tion (S), tribal quota in Manipur Legislative Assembly, transfer of land records, special recruitment drive for ST in JNIMS, absorption of direct recruited staff of DRDA into line departments, implementation of Compendium on Reservation for the SC, ST and OBCs in services, reservation in admission at Manipur University (MU) are the charter of demands raised by ATSUM.
In the representation, ATSUM said it lauds the Government of Manipur for addressing the grievances of the tribals especially in Education Department and JNIMS for regularisation of 418 Assistant Professors and regularisation of 714 part time lecturers.
However, the Union is not happy that the GoM has inordinately neglected most of the charter of demands tabled in the course of the official discourse on Oct 22, 2014. For quite a long time now, ATSUM has held the firm conviction that the problems would be amicably settled across the table. With this hope, piles of memorandum have been submitted to the Chief Minister of Manipur for redressal of grievances.
Appointments sought are dumped to the dismay of the union. It appears that GoM listens only to problem creators leaving ATSUM in precipice. As a matter of fact, ATSUM does not encourage bandh, blockade or any form of agitation at this crucial juncture.
But having run out of patience, the Union in its executive meeting held on May 10, resolved to call a State-wide bandh on may 17, from 6 am to 6 pm to protest the indifferent attitude of the GoM, it said.
