IMPHAL, Sept 24 NNN : Irked by the non-compliance of the state government of Manipur towards its demands, the All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has decided to resume its suspended agitation under the code name ROTO (Reckoning of Others) after October 12.
In its marathon meeting today at its office here participated by ATSUM executive council, its members of assembly affairs and the students’ body advisory members, the tribal students’ body said on October 12 it will hold its first assembly sitting and obtain endorsements from its units officially to resume the suspended agitation.
“Today’s meeting was held at the backdrop of all the happenings including the pandemonium over border fencing issue, rampant killings, the demand to include the Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe list etc., etc.,” said ATSUM leaders. “We have discussed these issues too in our today’s meeting,” added the ATSUM leaders.
However, the proposed agitation of the tribal students’ body will be on the issues of the setting up of setting up of a separate commission for the Scheduled Tribe in Manipur which was demanded by the tribal students’ body and assured by the state government; securing the proper functioning of Hill Area Committee (HAC) under Article 371(C); healthcare and education.
“This time our agitation will be strong enough to spilt over to New Delhi and elsewhere in the country,” warned the ATSUM leaders, adding, “It is going to be the peoples’ movement.”
According to the tribal student leaders, Article 371 (C) exists but it has not been implemented in letter and spirit in the five hill districts of Manipur. “It has been systematically suppressed by the state through bureaucratic manipulations,” alleged the ATSUM leaders.
Citing an example, the ATSUM leaders said that the Village Authority Act under the Hill areas’ Autinomous District Council (ADC) Act of 1971, has not been in use.“In modern society we need to have rule of law and for that we have been steadfastly demanding administrative autonomy,” they said.
ATSUM demands the setting up of a separate state Commission for the Scheduled Tribe in Manipur. It also demands that the reservation policy is strictly maintained.
“It will be in the best interest of all that the issues be raised by ATSUM, are addressed sonner than later. It is the universal desire,” the tribal student leaders added.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/atsum-prepares-for-another-stir/
