IMPHAL, March 25: The All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) and All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) jointly organised an interaction programme at the Hotel Classic today with candidates intending to contest in the ensuing Lok Sabha Election in the Manipur outer Parliamentary Constituency.
The interaction programme which according to the ATSUM’s president Mon Tombing, intended to explore the political wisdom of the leaders, was attended by various tribal students’ body leaders, social leaders, scholars etc.
Of the ten candidates in the fray for the outer constituency only four turned up for the interaction which included JD-U candidate Lien Gangte, AAP candidate K Zou, former MP and independent candidate Charenamei, former MP and AITC candidate Kim Gangte.
Briefing on the objective of the interaction programme ATSUM president, Mon Tombing, contended since post-independence of India there have been no political leaders that could fulfil the aspiration of the people especially the tribal.
Asserting that no MP has ever raised their voice for the plight and suffering of the tribal, he alleged that successive MPs have been basking on the local area development funds and salary.
Tombing attributed the failed system to the ignorance of the voters.
Addressing the gathering, the candidates also placed their commitment to work on various issues concerning the tribal including delimitation, Land acquisition policy, redistribution of seats (60) in the assembly constituencies etc.
A one on one interaction between the participants and the candidates was also conducted with Romeo Bungdon the chief of AMTU, as the moderator.
Meanwhile, the ATSUM also drafted 10 points manifesto recommending the candidates to include in their party manifestos.
The manifesto highlighted demand for providing salary/honorarium to the members of the village authorities in the Hill Areas as done in the valley area by virtue of Rule 6 of the Manipur Gram Panchayat and Zilla Parishad (General) Rules, 1995.
It further mentioned that amendment of the Manipur (Village Authorities) in Hill Areas Act while 1956, reservation of seats for women in the autonomous district councils’, to fully implement the Article 371 C and its subsequent order (dated June 20, 1972 issued by the then president of India VV Giri, to fully implement the RTE Act, 2009, to give access the right to fundamental heath held by the apex court, a special package for the voters residing in Thoubal areas and to strive secure an additional seats in the parliament besides the existing two etc.