ATSUM warns of resuming stir on MU reservation issue

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI |Sep 16 

Following the alleged failure of the Manipur University authority in fulfilling their assurance over the reservation issue on August 31 meeting, the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur has decided to re-intensify agitation over the issue.  

Earlier, the student body had suspended its 48 hours ultimatum over the issue following the assurance of the vice chancellor and heads of department in a joint meeting held on August 31 at the vice chancellor’s office chamber.

The apex body of the tribal students of the state, ATSUM and Manipur University Tribal Students’ Union (MUTSU) have been demanding 31 percent reservations for ST students in admission to various courses in the university and the MU authority to follow the High Court directives and the Central Educational Institution Reservation Act, 2012 in the admission process.

Vice chancellor of the varsity, Prof. Adya Prasad Pandey had promised to fulfil the tribal students’ demands and also assured to strictly follow the High Court directives and CEIR act, 2012 rules from the next session during the August 31 meeting to the student body representatives.

Seiboi Haokip, general secretary, ATSUM while speaking to media persons this afternoon at Kangpokpi said that keeping faith once again upon the MU authority; the student body had suspended its 48 hours ultimatum on August 31 following the assurance of the authority concerned. 

“However, the assurances have turned out to be MU authority’s display of disloyalty and unreliable attitude”, visibly disappointed Seiboi asserted before adding that the repeated duplicity of the MU authority have totally tested the tolerance of the tribal students.  

He continued, “We have now decided to take extreme form of agitation if the MU fails to convert its assurances into action within a short period apart from resolving to begin mobilisation for the cause of tribal student’s rights.”

In connection with the mode of agitation, Seiboi Haokip said that it will be make known to the public after due consultation with its units and hill districts based civil bodies on Monday.

He recalled that ATSUM had demanded the MU authority to put in abeyance the admission process until such time and the results declared for the academic season 2017-2018 are rectified to the guidelines and reservation norms of the government.

He further recalled that despite the MoU signed between ATSUM and MU authority on November 7, 2016 where both party agreed to adhere central education institution (reservation in admission) act, the recent announced admission lists in the various departmental entrance test results explicitly indicates that most of the departments has overtly defied the central act as well as failed to honour the spirit of MoU.

The ATSUM leader expressed the student body’s displeasure over the state government under the leadership of chief minister, N. Biren Singh for keeping mum on the issue till today.