IMPHAL: The agitating All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (Atsum), which stopped the ongoing rail project in Manipur, suspended the stir temporarily from Sunday evening after the state government assured to hold talks over Atsum's demands on Saturday.
In pursuit of its demand for all-round development and effective governance in the hills, Atsum on February 3 began the second phase of its stir with the target of closing down all central projects in the tribal-dominated areas.
The stir paralyzed the Jiribam-Imphal rail line construction in Tamenglong district though no machinery of the project was damaged.
"The government sent two (tribal) representatives - a minister and a legislator - and a meeting was held with Atsum representatives including me at the legislator's official residence in Imphal. As requested by them, it was agreed to hold talks with the state government on Saturday at 3pm," the apex tribal student body's speaker, Majabung Gangmei, told this reporter. "We are expecting a positive response from the government on our legitimate demands during the meeting. As requested by the two representatives, we have decided to temporarily suspend our agitation from Sunday evening at 6," he said.
If the government continues to ignore the demands during the talks, Atsum will resume the stir with more rigid activities anytime, Gangmei threatened.
Apart from setting up of Manipur State Commission for the Scheduled Tribes and B Ed centres in the hill districts, Atsum is demanding appointment of adequate teaching and non-teaching staff at all educational institutions with better infrastructure. The student body had called a 24-hour general strike ending January 19 midnight during which four vehicles were damaged.
In pursuit of its demand for all-round development and effective governance in the hills, Atsum on February 3 began the second phase of its stir with the target of closing down all central projects in the tribal-dominated areas.
The stir paralyzed the Jiribam-Imphal rail line construction in Tamenglong district though no machinery of the project was damaged.
"The government sent two (tribal) representatives - a minister and a legislator - and a meeting was held with Atsum representatives including me at the legislator's official residence in Imphal. As requested by them, it was agreed to hold talks with the state government on Saturday at 3pm," the apex tribal student body's speaker, Majabung Gangmei, told this reporter. "We are expecting a positive response from the government on our legitimate demands during the meeting. As requested by the two representatives, we have decided to temporarily suspend our agitation from Sunday evening at 6," he said.
If the government continues to ignore the demands during the talks, Atsum will resume the stir with more rigid activities anytime, Gangmei threatened.
Apart from setting up of Manipur State Commission for the Scheduled Tribes and B Ed centres in the hill districts, Atsum is demanding appointment of adequate teaching and non-teaching staff at all educational institutions with better infrastructure. The student body had called a 24-hour general strike ending January 19 midnight during which four vehicles were damaged.
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