Imphal, September 11: Reacting to the manner in which MUSU president Kh Ashokumar was made to �parrot pre-conceived lines� in the custody of the RPF, the Manipur University Students' Union today said that it is highly unfortunate that the abductors have turned a deaf ear to the appeals and cries for the release of the student leader and instead forced him to parrot certain doctored lines on ISTV.

In a statement, the student body also condemned the use of intimidation in making students say that they are sorry for taking part in the rally demanding the release of the student leader.

In a statement, MUSU said that such tactics are not expected from a group which has taken up arms to liberate the people and added that Ashokumar was forced to say what the party keeping him captive wanted him to say.

If the real stand of Ashokumar is to be verified then he should be released and made to speak out his mind from a safer clime, added MUSU.

Such tactics of making people say doctored lines under duress is a tactic employed by the Indian security force, said MUSU and questioned whether it is right for a revolutionary group to adopt such a method.

The truth and a free and fair trial should rest with the people and not at the hands of an armed group, asserted MUSU.

The statement added that MUSU would never have turned down the literary meet if it was suggested by the common people for MUSU is for the student community and the people.

However it is a different matter if an armed group wants MUSU to organise the literary meet in connection with their raising day.

This amounts to nothing but force, it said and added that dragging in the name of another armed group to cover up their faults is unacceptable.

To take part in the race for development and to make the people live among the comity of developed society of developed people, the university authority, students and others concerned have been working overtime to convert MU to a Central university.

However putting MUSU at such a tight spot at this juncture is highly unfortunate, said the student body and appealed to all concerned not to subject them to such a situation in the future.

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