Manipur : Kuki Students' Organization endorses ATSUM's 12-hour bandh call on April 4

The Kuki Students' Organization Chandel district, along with the Kuki Students' Organization Churachandpur and the Senapati District Students' Association, have pledged their support to the All Tribal Students Union Manipur's (ATSUM) call for a 12-hour state-wide total shutdown on 4th April 2023.

The total shutdown has been called in response to the RIMS authority's failure to rectify the reservation discrepancies and failure to nullify the LDC results in gross violation of the quantum of reservation for the ST's. As per the letter Vide DoPT No. 3067/2/2004-Esst. (Res) dated 05/07/2005, the quantum of reservation which is generally fixed in proportion to the population of the SC's, ST's and OBC's in the respective UTs/States as i) 3% for SC, ii) 34% for ST and iii) 13% OBC, which is already fixed for the state of Manipur.

The Kuki Students' Organization Chandel district, while understanding the plight of every tribal people who had been deprived of their rightful share in every job recruitment at RIMS, also condemn the authority's adamant stand and negligence to rectify the reservation discrepancies even after repeated requests. The organization has, therefore, decided to enforce the bandh within the district, as a sign of discontentment against the deprivation of the rightful share of every job recruitment. The organization has made it clear that it shall not be held responsible for any untoward incidents arising during the shutdown, which shall be the responsibility of the RIMS authority.

The Kuki Students' Organization Churachandpur, too, has extended their support to the ATSUM call for the 12-hours state-wide total shutdown, in all the hill districts. The organization has also made it clear that the proposed bandh will be fully enforced in Churachandpur district. The KSO Churachandpur views the discrimination of tribal community seriously and calls for immediate nullification of recently declared LDC exam result. The bandh/shutdown will be enforced strictly from 6:00 AM of 4th April, 2023, with no passes being issued.

The Senapati District Students' Association has also condemned the failure of the RIMS Authority in rectifying the reservation norms in recruiting their Group C & D staffs, as per the Office Memorandum (OM) of the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) for reservation quota of 34% for ST under the OM, while reserving only 7% currently, depriving the tribals of their rightful share in the job recruitment ever since 2005. The office of the Senapati District Students' Association wholly endorses the Total Shutdown called by ATSUM on the 4th of April, 2023 from 6.AM to 6.PM, in protest against the above mentioned discrepancies in the recruitment of staffs by RIMS Authority.

The organizations have appealed to the general public of their respective districts to extend their unwavering support and cooperation towards the agitation. It is also important to note that only emergency services shall be exempted from the purview of the bandh.

The Kuki Students' Organization Chandel district, Kuki Students' Organization Churachandpur, and Senapati District Students' Association have made it clear that they will stand in solidarity with the ATSUM and are determined to fight against the deprivation of the constitutional rights of the tribals of Manipur.