MSF pays tribute to Athouba Chittaranjan

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 16

The 13th To Excel Right to Life was observed today by Manipur Students’ Federation (MSF) to pay tribute to the departed soul of Pebam Chittaranjan Mangang (21st Centuary gi Athouba).

Floral tributes were paidto the statue of Chittaranjan at Bishnupur in the morning and a mass silent rally was taken out from Takhellambam Leikai till THAU ground, Thangmeiband.

Speaking to the gathering at THAU ground, Senior Citizen for Society, general secretary, L. Sadananda said that men like Chittaranjan who made supreme sacrifice for the right to life is born once in a century and he is the only one in the state who had made such sacrifice for the people’s rights. 

He said that implementing of AFSPA, 1958 which is an anti-democratic act in the state of a country which has the largest democracy, is very unfortunate.

Though the former Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh assured to replace the act with another act with human face and the Administrative Reform Committee of India submitted recommendation to remove AFSPA from the state, no single initiative has been taken till now, added Sadananda.

The general secretary said that announcing “disturbed area” is the main reason for implementing AFSPA in the state. It is in the hand of the state government to remove AFSPA by removing the disturbed area status and taking up the matter with the central government.

“As the new chief minister has assured to examine removing AFSPA from the state, let us hope for the best to bring back the right to life in the state,” added Sadananda.

The guest of honour, Working Committee of Apunba Lup, Manipur, coordinator Phulindro Konsam said that any kind of development is meaningless if there is no right to life.

And unless the draconian AFSPA, 1958 is removed from the state, the people cannot enjoy the right to life, which is the most important fundamental right, he added.

Phulindro said that youths and students across the world have been taking a big role in fighting for human rights and Chittaranjan is one of the student leaders, who made a supreme sacrifice fighting for the rights of the people at his young age.

His sacrifice gave a message to the people across the state that “it is better to die than to live without getting our rights,” he continued.

The delay in delivering justice in the B.T. Road fake encounter case clearly shows that the people of the state is subdued by the central government of the largest democratic country, added the coordinator.

MSF, president, N. Muktangamba said that MSF will take the AFSPA issue to the state government, central government and even to the United Nations. For this MSF needs cooperation of the public, he added.

The function was attended by advocate, Khaidem Mani as guest of honour.

A blood donation camp was held at THAU ground in connection with the day.