Newmai News Network
Imphal | June 29
The Hill based students’ organizations of Manipur, while urging the Delimitation Commission of India to carry out the delimitation exercise in Manipur, have asserted that they will be compelled to launch a “concerted social movement for equal representation” in the State of Manipur if the delimitation exercise is not done based on 2001 census.
All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM), Kuki Students’ Organisation, General Headquarters (KSO-GHQ) and All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) have submitted a strongly worded memorandum to Ranjana Prakash Desai, Chairperson of the Delimitation Commission of India, on Monday in this regard, said the three student bodies.
In the memorandum, the three students’ bodies alleged that “valley centric civil organisations and political parties in the valley of the State” are working hard to obstruct the process of delimitation in Manipur on a “flimsy ground with a mala-fide intention to deprive the political rights of Manipur bestowed by the Constitution of India under the Delimitation Act 2002”.
ATSUM, KSO-GHQ and ANSAM also said that the “stiff opposition” raised by “all political parties”, with the exception of hill based political party leaders and legislators, in the meetings held on June 15, 2020 and June 17, 2020 under the “pseudo nomenclature of All Political Parties against the delimitation exercise” is very unfortunate.
“Perhaps, the said exercise for rationalization of seats across the hills and valley as entitled on the basis of population besides the condition to freeze increase of seats in the State assemblies and the Lok Sabha until 2026 under the 84 Amendment Act of 2001 must have negated the chauvinistic interest of the valley based politicians”, said the memorandum of the hill based student organisations.
The memorandum then said that Manipur is no exception to the re-adjustment of allocation of Assembly seats as has been done in 24 States all over India. “If the common phrase ‘Chingmi-Tammi Hingminasi’ is not a lip service, valley people should not continue to oppose territorial council, Sixth Scheduled, Article 371 (C), other basic rights and protection and amenities enshrined in the Constitution of India for the hill people,” the memorandum added.
“This memorandum is submitted before your good self to carry forward the delimitation exercise based on 2001 census to enable bridging the gap of inequality and under representation in the state of Manipur,” the memorandum also said, adding, “In the event of failing to carry out delimitation process due to objection raised by the pseudo All Political Parties of the State and civil organisations that represent only the valley interest, the three umbrella organisations of the tribal ethnic groups will be compelled to launch a concerted social movement for equal representation,” the three hill students’ bodies cautioned.
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