As many as six Meitei-Pangal student bodies on Tuesday warned to launch a series of democratic agitations if the state government fails to extend four per cent reservation policy in general courses of higher education for Meitei-Pangal (Manipuri-Muslim) community by September 28.
The six student bodies are All Manipur Muslim Students' Organisation (AMMSO); Manipur University Muslim Welfare Association (MUMWA); Pangal Students' Union DM University; Pangal Students' Union DM College of Science; Muslim Students' DM College of Arts and All Pangal Students' organisation, Thoubal.
AMMSO president Kh Ayub Shah told the media at its office in Hatta, Imphal East that the Meitei -Pangal community of Manipur has been getting the privilege of reservation during admission in professional, technical courses and government jobs since December 27, 2006, considering the acute backwardness of community.
However, the same has not been covered up for admission in general courses, for which the AMMSO with its like-minded bodies have been consistently demanding for extension of the same since the past many years, he said.
In fact, the students belonging to Meitei-Pangal community do not get the opportunity of getting admission in some of the premiere colleges in Imphal area due to the non-availability of this reservation, he added.
Moreover, as the majority of the Meitel-Pangal community belongs to financially weaker sections, the option of sending students outside that state for studies is out of the question, he said. This situation will certainly affect the growth of the Meitei-Pangal community in the state in the long run, he added.
The issue had been raised to authority concerned including the chief minister from time to time and the chief minister N Biren himself had even promised publicly to provide the same, he said. There was an incident in 2020 when AMMSO called off its strike, following an assurance given by the state government for implementation of the said reservation, he recalled.
The Meitei- Pangal community which has full faith in the state government is hoping of getting the said reservation within the stipulated time period. AMMSO strongly feels and believes that the state government led by N Biren is capable of resolving the demand in the interests and faith of the Meitei-Pangal community.
