Our Correspondent
Imphal, Oct. 5 (EMN): Three students’ bodies in Manipur have resolved to call for five days economic blockade in the state if the authority fails to resolve the crisis in the Manipur University by October 8.
The economic blockade (on all the national highways) under their jurisdictions will be enforced from October 9 5 am till October 14 5 am.
The All Manipur Tribal Students Union (ATSUM) had served ultimatum to the authorities concerned on October 1 to ensure normalcy at Manipur University within seven days considering the grievances faced by the thousands of students studying in the University.
With no sign of normalcy returning to the varsity till date, on Thursday the three tribal student bodies - ATSUM, Kuki Students Organisation GHq (KSO) and All Naga Students Association (ANSAM) convened a joint meeting and adopted the two resolutions, it said.
“Anguished with over holding of thousands of students’ careers to ransom for few vested interests, also resolved to demand a separate Hill Central University,” it stated.
Academic activities in Manipur University were paralysed for more than three months after the Manipur University Students Union (MUSU) and Manipur University Teachers Associaiton (MUTA) launched an agitation demanding the removal of vice-chancellor A P Pandey.
The MUSU and MUTA called off the agitation after the Union HRD Ministry set up a committee to probe the allegations against Pandey.
On September 21 police raided the campus and arrested a number of students and teacher on the basis of an FIR lodged by Prof. K Yugindro, the acting vice-chancellor.
The unions are demanding the release of all the arrested students and teachers and withdrawal of security forces from the university campus.
