Imphal, July 25 2017: A large number of students under the auspices of Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA) today blocked half of the road at Andro Parking raising slogan for the protection of indigenous people and to keep away non-locals in elections in the State.
Students held placards reading ‘formulate a law to bar outsiders from contesting the election in the State,’ and ‘reserve all ACs of the State for indigenous people.’
Talking to media persons, secretary, public grievances, KSA, Khangembam Suraj said that since the cancellation of the ILPS in 1951, there has been an influx of outsiders to the State.
Therefore, a memorandum has been submitted by the KSA to the Governor to safeguard the rights of the indigenous people.
The demands included in the memorandum are that all the Assembly Constituencies in the State should be reserved for the indigenous people and the names of the outsiders in the electoral rolls should be struck off.
That none of the 60 MLAs is taking up the issue of safeguarding the rights of the indigenous people in the ongoing monsoon session of the Assembly is unfortunate.
He asked why there was no support forthcoming from the MLAs regarding this issue and warned of a more intense agitation if no resolution was taken to save the indigenous people.
Students from different schools of Imphal East including SI Academy, Halley English School, Sacred Heart Hr Sec school, Eden Public School, St Sebastian HS, RAS, Pioneer Academy, International Modernised Academy, Brighter Academy, Blazzing Daffodils Academy and Covenant English School took part in the protest .
Similar protest of blocking half of the road was also taken out by students of HRD Academy and Extra Edge school along Tiddim line in Kwakeithel area.
In Thoubal, a similar protest was taken out by students of YK College, Progressive English School, Lamding HS, Royal Academy, Wangjing.
Demanding that a resolution for the protection of indigenous people of the State be adopted in the ongoing Assembly session, KSA further pledged to carry on its agitation unless the demand is met.
Source: The Sangai Express
