There is something
unique about the student community of
Manipur which sets them apart from their
peers in other parts of the country or even
the world. That student organizations have
emerged as one of the most powerful pressure
groups is a fact that is accepted across the
world and nearer home one just has to
recollect the movement launched in Assam in
the 80s by the All Assam Students' Union and
the birth of the Asom Gana Parishad.
In Manipur too, student organizations have
been at the forefront of many issues, social
and political. The anti-foreigner movement
launched by the All Manipur Students' Union
and the then AMSCOC remains a landmark in
the history of the land. This was followed
by the demand to include Manipuri in the 8th
Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Student
organizations in the hill districts of
Manipur have also been equally effective in
highlighting their issues.
The 52 days economic blockade imposed by the
All Naga Students' Union, Manipur will not
be forgotten in a hurry and the recent
burning of the text books prescribed by the
Board of Secondary Education, Manipur in the
hill districts under the aegis of ANSAM is
another telling commentary of the clout and
influence of student organizations.
The Zomi Students' Federation had recently
boycotted all the MLAs and the stand off
that was witnessed between the student body
and the district administration of
Churachandpur some time back was a clear
reflection of the power that students wield.
In fact situation is such that student
organizations have been able to jolt the
Government machinery awake on numerous
occasions and many a time the Government had
to buckle under the demands raised by
students across the State. Student power in
a democracy is understandable and may even
be encouraged, but there comes a time when
all the action and course of agitation taken
up by students cannot be left unquestioned.
In as much as students should be allowed to
voice their protest and at times even take
the leading role in rousing the people awake
to some sensitive issues, questions may well
be asked over the conduct and motive of the
students when they take up critical issues.
During the
last few years, it has become something of
an accepted culture for students of any
institution to take to the streets to
protest the demand of a teacher or two. This
situation raises certain pertinent points
that should be given due thoughts to by all
concerned. Have the students taken to the
street to protest the transfer, because the
Government had failed to post their
replacements? If this is the case then the
Government should be pilloried for refusing
to see justice.
On the other hand we may also ask whether
the students have come out to protest on
some whimsical ground, such as the teacher/s
being transferred has struck up a good
rapport with the students and the transfer
will affect their institution. These are
questions worth raising now for increasingly
students have started coming out on the
street to protest whenever any teacher is
being transferred to some other place.
Transfers and
postings to the hill districts and remote
areas come along with the baggage of being a
Government employee and this is a fact that
should not be lost on anyone. There are
times when it would be prudent for the
students not to meddle in Government
policies, for students should remain
students and framing policies and programs
should be left to the Government. |
