All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) has announced it will call for 48 hour interstate bandh and halt all National project works in the hills from November 5 if the state government does not take up any step to hold the Autonomous District Council(ADC) election for the 6 hill district before November 4.
Speaking to media persons at the Kuki Students Organisation(KSO) office, Tengnoupal District Head Quarter, ATSUM President, Seiboi Haokip said, the term of the current ADC office should have been over by June/July 2020, but the government extended their term for another 6 months. The extended term got over in the month of October, so the election should be held now. However, the government did not show any steps to hold the election, it said.
The ATSUM along with its different units had appealed to the government in September and warned of calling for 48 hours bandhs and halting all National projects from the 26th of October. But after holding two talks the government, ATSUM has called off their agitation for 10 days.
Seiboi Haokip further added that it has already been 8 days since the government had given their assurance. The ten days ultimatum would get over on the 4th of November. Yet, there has been no signs of work from the government’s side till now.
The student body appealed the incumbent ADCs not to appeal or attempt for further extension of their terms by another 6 months. Such attempts violate the democratic rights of the people. ADC is for the people so let’s keep ADC clean, it added.
ATSUM along with its unit met at KSO office, Tengnoupal and decided that they would take up the agitation which had been called off earlier from 5th November.
Further ATSUM asked the people to support their agitation.
All essential departments like media, power, water and health/covid related activities will be exempted from the bandh, it said.