Student group announces agitation in Mnp

Dimapur, July 21(EMN): A group of organisations forming the ‘joint tribal student bodies of Manipur’ has announced an indefinite strike in “Manipur hill area” to protest what it stated on Saturday was the closure of Manipur University, and “Moreh terror attack” and “Churachandpur assault.” The group issued a press release on Saturday making the announcement. The group asserted in the press release: The “inaction and outrageous attitude” of the state’s government on stated issues had left the group with no option “but to resume the previously relaxed indefinite bandh in hill areas of Manipur from 6 a.m. of Monday July 23 to seek justice and protest against the government’s mistreatment.” ‘Now that the Ministry of Human Resource Development has instituted a fact-finding committee to investigate into the allegations against the vice chancellor, the agitating students and teachers should allow the university to function normally until the committee has completed its inquiry and come up with recommendations based on their fact finding,’ the students’ group stated. The statement also denounced what it said was the “terror attack and attempted mass murder on innocent children, student leader and civilians at GamnomVeng, Moreh at 2 am on 13 July 2018 allegedly by heavily armed cadres of the Kuki National Organisation / Kuki National Army (KNO/KNA).” ‘We are disgusted that the government has not even arrested the perpetrators till now,’ the press release stated. The group has demanded stringent action against the culprits of the Moreh attack; arrest all those involved in the attack and the masterminds behind and bring them to justice. Besides, the group has demanded removal of ‘the group responsible permanently from Moreh and its surroundings.’ Likewise, the ‘joint tribal student bodies of Manipur’ demanded the arrest all the KSO members and all those involved in the assault and ‘terrorizing of peaceful protesters and student leaders in Churachandpur on 6 July 2018 and bring them to justice.’ The organization has demanded ‘befitting punishment’ to the additional superintendent of police of Churachandpur and others ‘involved for abetting violence and instigating violent KSO activists against peaceful protesters and tribal student leaders.’ The government should suspend or transfer them, the students stated.