24 hour Bandh in Manipur by tribal bodies against state government

IMPHAL: The All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) has called for a 24-hour shut down in all the hill districts with effect from Sunday midnight till Monday midnight.

The student body called the bandh in protest against the non-tabling of the Manipur (Hills Area) Autonomous District Councils Bill 2021 in the ongoing monsoon assembly session. The Assembly session ends on August 24.

The Hill Areas Committee (HAC) drafted the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Bill, 2021 and submitted it to the state government to consider and pass as an Act in the ongoing Manipur Legislative Assembly.

‘It’s unfortunate that the state is hesitating to table and discuss the bill meant for the welfare of the tribal people,” said SR Andria, General Secretary of All Tribal Student’s Union of Manipur.

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Three days back, TN Haokip, a member Hill Areas Committee of stated that if the newly drafted bill is passed by the August House and turned into an Act, it will be effective in bringing great development to the hill areas.

The decision of calling a bandh in the hill districts has also been supported by another tribal organization All Manipur Tribal Union in its emergency executive meeting held on Saturday evening.

“The Bill is definitely a Constitutional provision enshrined under Article 371 the state government just interpreted it into ethnic communal tone favouring the valley community's sentiment unethically,” stated the Information and Publicity wing of the organization.

“AMTU also appeals to every hill village headman, chairman, chief to fully support ATSUM's total shut down along with its village volunteers with every possible resource.” It added.

The students’ body also alleged that the state government has been politically oppressing and suppressing the Manipur Tribal people for the last 50 years denying their constitutional privileges.

“There are certain times that the state governments along with its valley CSOs voicing to even abrogate Article 371C in the Indian parliament, which is obvious that the Manipur Tribal people will never enjoy their inherent constitutional rights and obligations. We tribal people also are very much aware of our constitutional knowledge.” It said.

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