Tribal leaders fear that student organisations imposing class boycott may disrupt examinations, which would affect students in the hills.
Classes have been disrupted for nearly two months, mostly in the four valley districts of the state, in support of the Apunba Lup’s demand for the resignation of chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and punishment to police commandos involved in the July 23 firing when former militant Ch. Sanjit and passerby Rabina Devi were killed in an alleged fake encounter.
The demand for a separate examination board for the hills came during a daylong open discussion on the indefinite closure of educational institutions. The meeting was organised by the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur.
This was the second public meeting held on the issue after the All Manipur Student Guardians’ Organisation convened a similar meeting on October 14, calling for normalisation of academic activities.
Representatives of tribal student organisations, tribal public leaders and guardians and the Imphal-based Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur attended the meeting.
“The student bodies imposing the class boycott may also disrupt examinations. If the examination is disrupted, it will also affect students in the hills. So it is high time the hills have a separate examination board,” Samual Jendai Kamei, a Naga leader and former minister, told the meeting.
Adani Choro, the president of the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur, supported the idea.
Thomas Taishya, the president of the All Tribal Students’ Association, Manipur, termed the July 23 killings as “fake encounter”, but said the “forced closure” of educational institutions was uncalled for. The speakers called for using other means of agitation instead of closing educational institutions. They urged the government and the Apunba Lup to arrive at an amicable solution and restore the academic atmosphere.
The Senior Citizens for Society is already mediating between the Apunba Lup and the government. It has spoken to both the sides and is hoping that talks between the government and the agitators will take place soon.