The All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) has called a 48-hour interstate bandh in Manipur from September 14 to express resentment against the state government for its alleged lackadaisical attitude over the demands of the union.
However, in view of the prevailing pandemic, COVID-19 related activities, media and medical services are exempted from the purview of the proposed bandh. The union appealed to the interstate transporters and public to kindly bear and cooperate during the course of the proposed bandh.
A release signed by information and publicity secretary of the union, Micah Kamei on Wednesday stated that the union has taken the decision to call the bandh since the state government has failed to implement the charter of demands agreed upon on August 13, 2019 between the state government and ATSUM, All Naga Students Association Manipur (ANSAM) and Kuki Students Organisation (KSO), general headquarter at chief minister's conference hall.
The charter of demands includes filling up of Schedule Tribe back log/shortfall posts of assistant professors in government colleges, opening of approved B.Eds centres in the hill districts, opening of science stream in Tamenglong and Senapati government colleges, formulation of District Cadre recruitment and to stop the culture of utilisation of government employees, it mentioned.
It also included recruitment of approved MIL (tribal dialect) teachers in government colleges and schools. Regularisation of hills contract teachers 2006 batch and recruiting adequate staff in the directorate of Tribal Affairs and Hills were also among the demands.
The demands also include inclusion of mother tongue (Child’s language) as an essential qualification in the recruitment of primary teachers under six Autonomous District Councils.
Upgrading of Tribal Research Institute (TRI) into a fully fledged directorate, enactment of legislation/act for implementation of Tribal Sub Scheme (TSS), filling up of ST backlog/short falls of all categories in various departments, was also added.
Implementation of reservation quantum as per department of Personnel and Training in direct recruitment to group C and D posts in central institutions, improvement of adequate manpower and infrastructures in Health Services and posting specialist doctors in the hill districts and upgrading of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University -Regional Campus into full fledged university are also demanded, said the release.
The release also reminded the state government on its failure to meet the memorandum of understanding signed on June 9, 2018 between state government and ATSUM, DESAM and AIMS, pertaining to appointment of native IAS officer as the chief secretary of the state.
It also calls on the attention of the state government regarding the demands of the Hill District Private Schools Association Manipur (HiDiPSAM) to revoke the education department order of waiving tuition fees and paying of salaries for teaching and non teaching staffs during lockdown.
The union also appealed to the state government and the authority concerned to halt the Manipur Civil Service Combined Competitive Examination 2016 main examination until the CBI enquiry is completed and the culprits involved are befittingly punished.
The union also demanded implementation of reservation in promotion in Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited, halting of mining in hill areas and disbursal of Pre and post matric scholarship under ministry of Tribal Affairs.
