Senapati, 23 Oct: The Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA) has rejected the Hill Areas Committee’s (HAC) adopted resolution regarding the Autonomous District Council (ADC).
In a press release issued by its Information & Publicity Wing, the SDSA expressed deep concern over recent developments related to ADC governance. On October 14, 2024, under the leadership of HAC Chairman Dinganglung Gangmei, Resolution No. 59/2024-(HAC) was adopted, following the cancellation of caretaker chairmanships of the ADCs, as outlined in Order No. T501/1/2022 by the Government of Manipur.
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The HAC’s recommendation to the State Government proposes the formation of temporary committees for each ADC, consisting of 20 members—18 selected from former ADC members, local governance experts, and prominent intellectuals, along with 2 nominees from the Government of Manipur. The SDSA stated that such a resolution undermines the provisions and rights of hill areas enshrined in Article 371C of the Indian Constitution. It further argued that making such decisions without consulting the stakeholders is a blatant attempt to subvert the will of the people and betray their trust.
In response, the SDSA expressed its strong disapproval, describing the recommendations as lacking legal standing, bypassing standard democratic processes, and being unconstitutional and arbitrary.
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The student body views this as deliberate interference by powerful entities aimed at disenfranchising citizens from meaningful decision-making, in violation of democratic norms. Such actions threaten to diminish public participation and interest in governance. The SDSA urged the public, calling on all right-minded citizens to raise their voices and collectively fight against arbitrary treatment in the future.
Given the seriousness of the situation, the SDSA called on the Governor of Manipur to intervene and reject these baseless recommendations to uphold the Constitution and protect the interests of the hill people.
Failing to address the issue, the SDSA warned that it may be compelled to resort to democratic forms of protest in the near future.
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