Shillong: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) comprising of eight indigenous student bodies in the region on Thursday staged sit-in-demonstrations all the seven states of the Northeast demanding for restoration of peace in Manipur.
Members of the apex body representing eight students’ bodies in the region, staged sit-in demonstrations in respective state capitals and also slammed the BJP-led NDA government at the centre for “turning a blind eye and deaf ear” to the six-month-long ethnic strife in Manipur.
In Meghalaya’s capital Shillong, the Khasi Student’s Union and other student bodies staged the sit-in-demonstration in-front of U Tirot Sing Syiem memorial ground near Fire Brigade ground.
NESO Chairman Samuel Jyrwa, who was leading the protest in Shillong, slammed the BJP government for its failure to take proactive steps in restore peace in Manipur.
“We thought that the Indian government will take the initiative to bring all the stakeholders of Manipur to the negotiating table for an amicable solution but more than six months now have passed, we did not hear a whimper from the government,” Jyrwa said.
Jyrwa also informed the gathering that NESO had submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded for personal intervention to resolve the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki.
“It is a very sad that till today the Prime Minister has not taken any initiative despite several leaders and groups from the region have demanded for his immediate intervention,” he said.
“If the Indian government continues to delays to take the initiative to restore peace then it only proves that the government is not interested in the welfare of the indigenous people of the Northeast and the indigenous people of Manipur in particular, but it is only interested in its land and resources,” the NESO chairman asserted.
Stating that the ball is in the court of the Indian government to act on the prevailing law and order situation in Manipur, Jyrwa cautioned the government not to further delay to take the initiative to restore peace.
“This is a warning to the government of India that if they want alienate more the people of the Northeast from mainland India. The ball is in the court of Government of India, they should act now or the time maybe too late,” Jyrwa warned.
Meanwhile, in Manipur itself, the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) organised a sit-in protest at Keishampat Leimajam Lekai in Imphal.
Advisor of NESO Manipur, Sinam Prakash condemned the stoic silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the ongoing ethnic violence.
He also condemned the Manipur government for its failure to trace the whereabouts of two students who had gone missing since November 5.
“It is very unfortunate and highly condemnable that Prime Minister has not uttered single word with the violence in Manipur which has displaced thousands of population and losing many precious lives,” Sinam said.
