IMPHAL, June 4: With the objective to stop all threats from both State and non-State actors to educational institutes and make education a disturbance free zone, the Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur today took out a mass rally in Imphal.
The rally participated by both teachers and students of schools and colleges from both Imphal East and Imphal West started from THAU ground, Thangmeiband and culminated at the Iboyaima Shumang leela Shanglen after passing through North AOC, Minuthong, Hatta Golapati, New Checkon and Palace Gate.
Around 30-40 students also fainted due to the heat during the rally and had to be rushed to the nearby hospitals.
It may be mentioned that similar rallies of the student body had already been tken out at Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubal district on July 2,3 and 4 respectively.
The rally was taken out under the banner `Disturbance free educational zone`™
The participants held placards demanding `Make education a free zone, let`™s keep education first, exempt education related persons from bandhs and blockades, stop pressuring officials of educational institutes and department by armed individuals or groups, avoid corruption in all education related matters.`™
Speaking to media persons, DESAM president M Angamba said the student body will be appealing to the State government to release an academic calendar that has fewer holidays.
The government needs to reduce the number of holidays listed in a calendar year considering the students, he demanded.
He observed out of the 365 days in a year, students hardly get 90-100 days in their academic session and due to the rising number of disturbances hurled to the schools, the students are affected.
As a part of International Anti Corruption Day DESAM will also take up steps to stop corruption in the State because corruption is very much related with students`™ life and will also form and Anti Corruption Cell, he said.