On November 25, the Manipur government struck a deal with agitating members of ATSUM, KSO, ANSAM that led to the suspension of the economic blockade for the time being.
TFM Desk
The government of Manipur, Secretariat: Tribal Affairs and Hills Department has constituted a committee to discuss the draft “The Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Bill, 2021” (ADC Bill 2021) with the Hill ‘Areas Committee, Manipur Legislative Assembly.
According to an order in the name of the Governor of Manipur, Additional Chief Secretary (TA & Hills) Letkhogin Haokip, the committee comprises of the following:
1. Vungzagin Valte, Minister (TA & Hills) as the Chairman
2. Letpao Haokip, Minister (Water Resource) as Member
3. L Dikho, Minister (PHED) as Member
4. Letkhogin Haokip, Addl. Chief Secretary as Convenor
5. P Vaiphei, Addl. Chief Secretary as Member
6. Vumlunmang Vualnam, Addl. Chief Secretary as Member
7. N Kumarjit Singh, Advocate General as Member
8. Gyan Prakash, Special Secretary (Home) as Member
9. Nungsitombi Athokpam, Commissioner (Law) as Member
10. B Jobn Tlangtinkhuma, Secretary (PHED) as Member
11. Lenin Hijam, Addl, Advocate General as Member
12. C Arthur Worchuiyo, Special Secretary/Director (TA & Hills) as Member
The copy of the order has been forwarded to Secretary to the Governor, Secretary to Chief Minister, Staff Officer to Chief Secretary and members concerned.
It may be mentioned that several tribal organisations including All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM) had been on a series of agitation and had even imposed an economic blockade for not tabling the ADC Bill 2021 in the Manipur Legislative Assembly Sessions by the state government.
However, on November 25, the Manipur government managed to strike a deal with agitating tribal students’ organisations which agreed to suspend the economic blockade for the time being.
The agreement was reached between the ATSUM, KSO, ANSAM and the Government in the presence of Minister Letpao Haokip, Minister L Dikho and Minister Vungzagin Valte and the officers of Tribal Affairs and Hills Department.
The agreement was signed by Additional Chief Secretary Letkhogin Haokip for the government, ATSUM president Paotinthang Lupheng, ANSAM president Wangtae Thiirtung and KSO GHQ president Sasang Vaiphel.
The terms of the agreement are as below:
1 There will be a discussion between Hill Areas Committee (HAC), Manipur legislative Assembly and the State Government within 5 (five) days’ time (November 30, 2021) on the draft Autonomous District Council (ADC) Bill 2021.
2. Thereafter, the draft ADC Bill 2021 shall be introduced by the Government in the upcoming Winter Assembly Session, 2021 after completing the due process of law provided under the Constitution of India.
3. The Government shall release all the Executives of ATSUM, KSO, and ANSAM unconditionally and the ongoing economic blockade shall be suspended for the time being.