The All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) conducted its 1st General Assembly at Bakshi Ground, Hungpung, on Friday, which was hosted by Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), the apex Tangkhul student body.
In the ultimatum which was endorsed by the tribal bodies under the watchdog of the ATSUM, it decided to impose 24 hours total bandh starting March 12 (Friday) midnight.
ATSUM’s decision to call total bandh came in following the repeated failure of the state government to announce ADC polls ATSUM has been mounting pressure on the government to announce without further delay. Angered with the dilly dallying tactics by the state government ATSUM had warned that failure to heed the concerns voiced by the students’ body would led to indefinite blockade.
Also read: ATSUM ultimatum to Manipur govt till Nov 4 to hold ADC election
Seiboi Haokip, president ATSUM said, “We are privy to the state’s education department inclination to change academic calendar in line with CBSE.” The state academic session normally begin from the month of February and concludes in December, while the academic calendar of the erstwhile CBSE is March to March.
ATSUM and its Federating Units decried the alleged attempts to switch academic session in line with CBSE and resolved to oppose any move from the government to change the academic session in the state.
“We will not stand and watch at the fence but stand guard and oppose tooth and nail if at all the state government made such brazen policy to change the academic calendar of the state,” Seiboi said, and warned not to introduce such policy in the state.
Making a clarion call to the tribal base civil society organisations to support the stand taken by the students’ body, Seiboi said that its general assembly had reaffirmed to oppose the demand for ST status by the Meitei/Meetei community.
In matters of delimitation, it had demanded to exercise delimitation on the basis of 2001 census under the existing Delimitation Act 2002 without further delay.
Meanwhile, the apex students’ tribal body of Manipur had also urged the state government to immediately reopen schools for lower classes.
The assembly was attended by ATSUM federating units leaders and representatives.
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