Mail News Service
Imphal, June 29 : Manipur Police personnel today stopped students from protesting in front of the Raj Bhawan. Students of the state had launched the stir as part of a stir taken out today in all parts of the north eastern states under the aegis of North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) . Imphal City Police today halted a group of students from the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) who tried to stage a sit-in protest in front of Raj Bhavan here.
AMSU attempted to organize the sit-in as part of the agitation launched by North East Students’ Organization (NESO) across the region pushing various demands.
A group of AMSU members including its secretary and president made a sudden appearance near the Raj Bhavan gate and tried to protest there when a team of the City Police arrived at the scene and quelled them foiling the attempt.
The police team led by Tejbir, Officer-in-Charge, City Police and L Madhunimai, SDPO Imphal West district Police also tore down the banner and placards held by the students which resulted in a melee.
The act of the police was unfortunate, Th Suresh, president, AMSU told reporters near Raj Bhavan after the AMSU protesters were barred from staging a sit-in.
He alleged that India has treated the people of the Northeast as second class citizens and that a resolution even at the level of the UN on this issue is sought by student bodies in the region.
The serious of demands made by NESO include enactment of education and human resource
Thokchom Suresh, President of All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) said the government was treating people of north east as second class citizens and repeated requests to the PMO to help the people of the region had been turned down the AMSU President said.
NESO had also submitted a seven-point charter of demands in this connection to the PM earlier .
The NESO is demanding Special Education Commission for North East, repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, re-implementation of Inner Line Permit, resolve boundary problems, prevent Bangladesh from encroaching into the land of North East region, institution of a Special Constitution of NE , separate time zone for the NE, etc.
The protest however went off smoothly in other parts of the region. Students staged protest at Guwahati in front of Raj Bhawan. The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), staged a protest demonstration at Raj Bhavan
Addressing the gathering student demonstrators outside the Raj Bhavan, NSF President Kelhouneizo Yhome this morning demanded the Union Government to create separate Constitutional provision for the North Eastern Region so that the people of the region can enjoy equal status as the mainland, as the students of the region studying in the metros and other cities of the country are being treated as the ‘second class citizens’, frequently facing atrocities, molestation, assault, harassment and discrimination and neglect, even killings and rapes, from the people of the mainland.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/police-stop-students-from-protesting-in-front-of-raj-bhawan/
