The Imphal Free Press

Imphal, Nov 14: Following the announcement of activities to be carried out by MU and some of the colleges in the state defying their boycott stance, the three students` bodies, AMSU, MSF and KSA, who have been spearheading the boycott appealed to the concerned university and college authorities to defer their decision failing which the students` bodies warned the authorities would be responsible for any unwanted consequences arising out of it.

A joint statement issued by the three students` bodies, were reacting to the announcement by the Manipur University that it would conduct its inter college youth festival, similar the announcement by the LMS Law College that it would hold its students` union election by on November 17 and also by various colleges that they too would hold their union elections on November 25.

The three bodies said these institutions should defer their decision. In particular they called upon their authorities to persuade their students to do this in the interest of the students` community and the people, adding that if the concerned authorities failed to pay heed they should be held responsible for any unwanted consequences.

It said that the steps of the government to reopen schools from November 9 amounted to inviting more problems and also showed the insincerity of the government. It further added that the very act of the government has prompted the people to resort to violent means, including arson attacks on school and college infrastructures.

Despite optimism that the agitators and the government is about to reach an amicable settlement through talks at the initiative of the Senior Citizens Society, the government is trying to suppress the democratic process treacherously disregarding democratic norms and also trying to project the protest as an undemocratic one.

It reiterated that the protest of the Apunba Lup is based on the interest of protection of right to life of the people.

It said that the class boycott may have affected the students` community similarly another sort of agitation would probably affect the normal life of the people.

Iit questioned whether the people ever received justice without any protest or agitation? It added that the government has not been paying any attention to democratic pleas unless they are accompanied by strong confrontations or protests.

This has conditioned the people to always resort to disruptive means to achieve their goals or justice.

It further questioned the motive of the government for the crackdown on protestors, detaining them under NSA etc even as the government has been appealing for democratic resolution.

It also asked why the government has been mocking the 9 year long democratic protest of Irom Chanu Sharmila.

It also recalled Pebam Chitaranjan who made the supreme sacrifice self immolating himself.

After all these incidents the government still remain deaf.

It said that the students` body would not hesitate in labeling the educational institutions defying their stance as challenging the movement of the people as the protest was truly based on people interest.

It also urged the school authorities not to collect fees after September 9. They must make arrangement to adjust whatever has been collected already with future fee dues, the release said.

 

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