Tribal university students intensify protest

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI |July 25

A massive protest rally was staged by the agitating students of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University-regional campus Manipur at Makhan in Kangpokpi district. The students have intensified their stir yesterday against the non-fulfilment of various demands. 

The students had shut down the lone national tribal university since July 10 under the aegis of the university student body IGNTUSU-RCM supported and endorsed by ATSUM, KSO and other student bodies while it had also ceased all construction works inside the university campus.

The protest rally which begin at Kanglatongbi proceeded towards the university shouted slogan, “We want immediate construction of hostel, staff quarters, regular facilities for the department of Tribal Studies and Sociology, and vice chancellor to solve the long standing issues immediately or step down on moral ground, etc”, and held a sit-in-protest in front of the university main entrance gate.

The protest rally and sit-in was participated by Kuki Students’ Organisation, Sadar Hills, Hmar Students’ Association-Imphal Joint Headquarters (HSA-IJHQ), Chothe Students’ Association (CSA), Tribal Students Union, DM College of Arts, Manipur University Tribal Students’ Union (MUTSU), Liangmai Students’ Union (LNKR), Makhan Students Union (MSU), Thadou Students’ Association, Sadar Hills (TSA-SH), Zeliangrong Students’ Union Manipur (ZSUM) and PRJA Education Cell.

The protesting students also hold placards which read, “No Solution No Rest, No Teacher No Class”, “Education is our rights, we want proper facilities”, “Save tribal students of Manipur”, “Management Committee, Where are you?”, “Director, where is your authority power”, “Prof.

Kattimani stop playing politics, Stop playing anti-tribal activities”, etc.

Khazi Bapna, President IGNTUSU-RCM said that the student bodies are constrained to directly bring forward various issues that need to be addressed and solve with utmost urgency.

He said that construction works for crucial infrastructures such as hostels and staff quarters should be initiated immediately keeping in mind the location and distance of the campus from the main urban area.

He also said that pending appointment of regular teaching staffs for the department of Sociology and Social Anthropology and department of Tribal Studies should be solved immediately since these two departments have been functioning without any permanent staffs for more than 4 years now with 6 guest faculties.

Khazi further said that adequate teaching and non-teaching staffs as per UGC norms for all existing departments and regularisation of all contractual non-teaching staffs of the campus should be engaged at the earliest.

He continued that a joint representation of IGNTUSU-RCM and ATSUM had also been submitted to the minister, ministry of Human Resource Development, government of India on July 18, requesting him to impress upon the VC and the university authorities the urgent need for their response and appropriate interventions to solve the current imbroglio at the campus.

The student body president recalled that in spite of the campus authority holding parleys with the students two times no concrete solutions or agreements could be reached as the demands are beyond the authority of the campus director and his colleagues.