Student bodies endorse 24 hour hill area shutdown

Imphal: Various tribal students organisations of hill districts have endorsed the 24-hour total shutdown called by the All Tribal Students Union Manipur to begin on Sunday midnight in all Manipur hill districts.

All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur on Saturday evening called a 24-hour total shutdown to express strong resentment against the state government’s ‘lackadaisical’ attitude for non-tabling of Hill Areas Committee recommended ‘ The Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Councils Bill 2021 in the ongoing state assembly session.

Naga Students Union Chandel, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong Ukhrul, Kuki Students Organisation Sadar Hills Kangpokpi, Chandel, Churachandpur and Gangte Students Union Churachandpur has issued a separate release on Sunday in support of the shutdown.

The organisations have appealed to the public in their respective jurisdictions to cooperate with the shutdown.

A release issued by Naga Students Union Chandel stated that the proposed bill is to be initiated and agreed in the assembly but disregarded.

The slogan saying “Go to Hills” is so conflicting to the interest of the HAC, ADC bill which is meant to develop the hill areas under the provision of Article 371 C of the Constitution, it added.

Kuki Students Organisation Churachanpur said the state government’s returning the ADC Bill 2021 and not tabling it in the ongoing Assembly session and also perversely and adamantly giving irrational statements itself is an insult and denial of the rights of the Hill People enshrine in Article 371 C of the Constitution of India.

Media, medical and emergency services will be exempted from the purview of the shutdown. Picking and dropping of Air travelers with valid Air tickets are relaxed between 6 am to 8 am and 5 pm to 8 pm, KSO said.

KSO Sadar Hills appeals to all the transport associations, including owners of private vehicles, and the general public kindly to extend cooperation during the said bandh as it will be strictly enforced within the jurisdiction of the organisation.