Manipur: Several students injured in protest 

Newmai News Network
Imphal | February 22

More than a dozen students protesting the non-conduct of classes in college were injured in Manipur on Monday as they clashed with police. According to reports, police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse the demonstrators.

Classes in government colleges remain suspended since February 17 after agitating teachers resorted to cease work strike in demand for implementation of 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018.

Irate over the non-conduct of classes, the students have been pressing the state government to bring a solution to resume normal classes since last Friday. Following the failure on part of the state government to address their demands, a large number of students protested on the streets.

Students of five colleges affiliated to Dhanamanjuri University were confronted by police team who tried to prevent them from protesting. In bid to bring the protesting students under control, the police used tear gas and baton charges to which the protesting students retaliated with pelting stones.

Students of Manipur College also staged similar protest in the street near their college campus in Singjamei, Imphal. It is reported that “despite repeated warning” when the students tried to stage the protest, the police fired several rounds of tear gas shells. As many as eight students were injured in the police action.

Student bodies including All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) and Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) have strongly condemned the alleged excesses meted out by the police to the students who were on “peaceful demonstration” demanding their right to education.

Talking to reporters, AMSU, Human Resources Secretary, Bruce Pebam said, “AMSU will not remain silent. We will launch intense forms of agitations if the state government fails to find a solution and resume normal classes at the earliest.” 

The AMSU secretary urged the government to address the issue while requesting the teachers to find a way which will not disturb the academic atmosphere of the students while continuing their agitations. “AMSU supports the demand of the teachers,” it added further. 

Teachers to continue strike 

The agitating teachers of government colleges continued to stage sit-in-protest in their respective college campuses on Monday. They are agitating under the banner of Federation of Government College Teachers’ Association (FEGOCTA).

“College teachers want orders and not assurances,” said FEGOCTA reaffirming “its stand not to withdraw its strike until government issues orders affecting the national policy of the UGC.”

FEGOCTA, in a statement said that a protest cum meeting held at Imphal College on Monday deliberated on an appeal from the Education minister but decided to continue the cease work strike until the orders of 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018 are issued.  “After three years of waiting and the 5th FEGOCTA agitations, now the government college teachers want only the orders and not the assurances,” it said. “If the orders are not issued, the college teachers further decided to stay away from participation in the upcoming students’ union elections scheduled on March 6,” it added. The college teachers do not oppose the elections as it is a democratic activity, it said. 

The fifth FEGOCTA agitations for the implementation of national policy of 7th UGC Pay and Regulations, 2018 in Manipur have entered day-21 on Monday. 

FEGOCTA further appealed the Chief Minister to restore academic life in the government colleges by issuing the orders of cabinet approval of August 6, 2020.