Student body demands resignation of all tribal MLAs in Manipur

NATION:  The student body came down vehemently on the tribal MLAs.Entire hill district legislators should resign on the moral ground in connection with recommendations of Hills Areas Committee (HAC) on Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Bill 2021, the Joint Tribe Students’ Association (JTSA), an apex body of hills student bodies, demanded on Thursday.

JTSA comprised of the All Inpui Students’ Union (AISU); Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR); Rongmei Naga Students’ Organisation Manipur (RNSOM) and Zeme Students’ Organisation Manipur (ZSOM).

JTSA joint secretary Jeanthui Panmei told media persons at Hotel Danni Continental, Thangmeiband Maisnam Leikai, Imphal on Thursday that none but the tribal MLAs possess the mandate of the hill people. However, they failed to raise their voice in support of the HAC’s recommendations on the awaited ADC Bill 2021 during the last Manipur Legislative Assembly session. Their silence on the issue is the cause of the present confusions among the hill people, he said.Entire hill district legislators should resign on moral ground in connection with recommendations of Hills Areas Committee (HAC) on Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Bill 2021, the Joint Tribe Students’ Association (JTSA), an apex body of hills student bodies, demanded on Thursday.

JTSA comprised of the All Inpui Students’ Union (AISU); Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi (LNKR); Rongmei Naga Students’ Organisation Manipur (RNSOM) and Zeme Students’ Organisation Manipur (ZSOM).

JTSA joint secretary Jeanthui Panmei told media persons at Hotel Danni Continental, Thangmeiband Maisnam Leikai, Imphal on Thursday that none but the tribal MLAs possess the mandate of the hill people. However, they failed to raise their voice in support of the HAC’s recommendations on the awaited ADC Bill 2021 during the last Manipur Legislative Assembly session. Their silence on the issue is the cause of the present confusions among the hill people, he said.

In the larger interest of the tribal people and for successful tabling of HAC’s recommendations, JTSA is raising the voice and grievances of the tribal people with no other options. Therefore, all the tribal MLAs must resign immediately from the membership of the Manipur Legislative Assembly on moral ground, he added.

Panmei said all the ADCs of the hill district were dissolved against the wishes of the people. Conducting recruitment of ADCs in various posts at the moment is questionable on democratic ground and is totally against the interest of hill people.

The students body strongly opposed the move and appealed to the state government to continue the recruitment only after election and formation of next ADC in all the hill districts.

JTSA will initiate various forms of democratic agitation if the state government fails to put on hold the said recruitment with notification in a week, said Jeanthui.

He further said JTSA appreciated the implementation of various developmental projects but the state government must complete the projects in a stipulated time. Various developmental projects in Tamenglong district were delayed and handed over to the people before its completion.

He appealed to Chief Minister N Biren Singh that all the developmental projects should be monitored individually under his strict supervision and the pending projects should be completed in time. In Tamenglong district a multi-crore water project was inaugurated during the last visit of the CM. He said that the project was inaugurated before its completion and most of the water reservoirs are reportedly leaking and pipes are poorly laid.