Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 15, 2009:
The Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU) has decided to join the students, who have abstained themselves from attending schools and colleges, in solidarity to the continuing mass movement being spearheaded by the Apunba Lup.
A press release issued by the MUSU president Ph Ibosana said that MU students would completely stay away from classes with effect from September 16. It questioned the meaning of being an MA, MSc, M Com, M Phil or PhD when they can be bashed up or killed any time anywhere.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi and police commandos are the cause of the present scenario, where young students of Manipur cannot freely pursue their studies, alleged the student body.
MUSU is only participating in the protest movement of the people including the student community.
It is not the time for students of professional courses to carry on with their studies as if they are not part of the society, the student body observed.
It reminded of the incident where security forces gunned down many innocent people including an MBBS student inside RIMS campus some years back.
One possible way to avoid such killings in future is to join the people's movement students of professional courses, MUSU asserted.
If the MU students go on continuing with their studies, oblivious to the turmoil besieging the state, people would only perceive them as morally more corrupt than the incumbent Government, it noted.
Saying that it is well aware of the huge loss students would suffer from abstaining from their classes, the MUSU accused the Government of forcing the students to choose between death and suspension of education.
In such a situation, MUSU has also been forced to opt for suspension of education most unwillingly.
In case the Government assures no more killing of innocent people and fulfilment of the demands raised by the Apunba Lup, MUSU would plead with teachers to conduct extra classes to make up for the loss during the students' agitation, it conveyed.
The MUSU also called upon all students of Manipur University to join the mass movement and show that university is a place where the journey for revolution towards a better society begins.