IMPHAL, June 3 MNS/NNN : The All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) sponsored 38 hours total bandh has mixed reactions in the hill districts of Manipur today.
Ukhrul district and Churachandpur district witnessed strong responses of the ATSUM bandh but Senapati and Chandel district headquarters failed to respond to the bandh call.
However, transport system between Tamenglong and Imphal was halted today due to the bandh.
ATSUM leaders claimed that around 9 trucks plying along NH-2 were damaged today by their volunteers.
Tryres were burnt in some pockets in Imphal by ATSUM volunteers this morning.
Regarding the inter-state transport system along the National Highway-2, the number of passenger buses and heavy goods vehicles were very less today but passenger vehicles like Tata Winger and Tata Sumo were plying between Imphal and Dimapur as usual. However, no vehicular movement was seen along the Imphal-Silchar road (NH-37) due to the bandh.
The inter-district transporter systems between Imphal and Ukhrul and between Imphal and Churachandpur were halted totally for the day. Shops and other business activities were also did not function in the district headquarters of Ukhrul and Churachandpur but there were no bandh impact the the district headquarters of Senapati and Chandel. Some shops were seen opened in Tamenglong district headquarters, reports reaching here said.
Meanwhile, 9 volunteers of All Tribal Disabled Union, Manipur (ATDUM) were arrested by police while the activists were imposing bandh at Kanglatongbi area. They were taken to Sekmai police station this morning but four were released this evening, reports said.
ATSUM reiterated today that there has been been ATSUM’s long standing aspiration to find a State Commission of the Scheduled Tribes in Manipur under the Article 338A of the Indian Constitution which would usher in all round Development and progress in respect of thee tribal people in this eastern most part of the Indian Union. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes which came in to force on 19th February, 2004 has failed to provide adequate service to the state of Manipur a it is based on the distant centre in Shillong, they stated.
According to the ATSUM leaders, the state of Karnataka in 2002 had established the State Commission for SC/ST under the name and style ‘The Karnataka State Commission for Scheduled Tribes Act, 2002′. They said the tribal population is the second largest in the state of Manipur but the pace of development is rather too slow till today comparing to that of the non-tribal populace. There has been the Manipur state Commission for OBC which meant to safeguard the rights of the other backward classes, the ATSUM leaders said.
“In the light of the above facts and circumstances, it is our earnest plea that the Manipur State Commission for the ST be set up in the earnest date, the tribal students’ body stated.
ATSUM then demanded for the setting up of B.Ed centres in hill districts of Manipur.
“Even the HSLC examination centres are very often treated as temporary arrangement subject to omission and commission. It is demanded that B.Ed centres be set up in all the five hill districts where TET can be conducted,” the tribal students’ body demanded.
ATSUM also mentioned that the crisis in the newly set up Indra Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) Regional Compus in Manipur is put to a situation of breaking down totally because all the required infrastructures and issues have not been properly attended to by the authorities concerned. “There is no end to the students’ agitations against many lapses in the University. Xerox copy of the MoU signed between students and the vice chancellor is enclosed herewith for kind perusal. It is our earnest plea for your urgent intervention before things turn from bad to worse,” ATSUM cautions.
One point the ATSUM said is, “We demand adequate number of both teaching and non-teaching staff in the educational institutions in the hill areas of Manipur state. We also demand that proper infrastructures for the educational institutions in the five hill districts be provided promptly as to facilitate smooth functioning of the academic sessions”.
“The recruitment of junior Manipur Civil Service (MCS) rule latest amendment published in Manipur Gazette Extra Ordinary Dt. 06/03/2012 U/S 2(2) & (3) clearly states that there shall be 2 grades i.e. (I). Junior MCS, Junior Grade (II) Senior MCS, Senior Grade. The clauses 3 states that the post of Junior MCS, senior Grade shall be class I Gazetted while the post of Junior MCS, Junior Grade be Class II Gazetted. We demand that justice be delivered at the time of conducting DPC in respect of SC & ST requiring promotion in accordance with the Manipur Reservation of vacancies in posts and Services (for ST&SC) Rules, 2011 published on 17/05/2011,” the tribal students’ leaders pointed out.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/atsum-stir-partially-affects-life/