Teachers to stage 501 hours road and rail blockade in Barak Valley next month
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, June 21: The Bishnupriya Manipuri Language Teachers Association has attacked the State Government’s lackadaisical attitude towards the development of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language and the community as a whole. At a joint press conference today in Guwahati by the Bishnupriya Manipuri Language Teachers Association, the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Students Union and the Bishnupriya Manipuri Gana Sangram Parishad, all the organizations criticized the Government for not paying any heed to their long standing demands.
Bishnupriya Manipuri Language Teachers Association chief advisor Gopidas Sinha said that in 2001, the State Government had appointed 149 Bishnupriya Manipuri language teachers in L.P. schools in Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts on honorary basis. "We have been demanding that the 149 posts should be regularized but our demand has always fallen into the deaf years of the Government," said Sinha.
Sinha said that on June 5 the Association had staged an indefinite hunger strike infront of the Silchar District Commissioner’s office. The strike was supported by other Bishnupriya Manipuri organizations and that compelled the Government to sit up and take notice. He added that the Asom Education (Elementary) Department Secretary had called the Association for a discussion on June 18 and after the discussion the Sectretary had assured the representatives of the Association that the Asom Education Minister would have a discussion with them soon.
Sinha however claimed that the Government had taken no step to fulfil their demand of regularizing the 149 posts. The Association is therefore left with no other option but to start an agitation against the Government. Sinha said that if within seven days the posts were not regularized, the Association would stage a 501 hours road and rail blockade in Barak Valley next month.
MLA of Patherkandi, Kartik Sen Sinha, while addressing the media persons, lamented the fact that in its two terms, the Gogoi Government had failed to take any step for the development of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language. He added that he would be raising this issue in the Budjet session of the Assembly.
The MLA also said that till some days ago there were differences within the Association. In fact Samarendra Sinha had drifted away from the Association and started a new Bishnupriya Manipuri teachers’ association. But he took the initiative yesterday to resolve the differences between the two groups and unite them." We are a minority community and if we fight amongst ourselves the Government will never take us seriously. Rather we should all unite and raise one voice that will echo in the corridors of power," said Kartik Sen Sinha.
Courtesy: The Sentinel (June 22, 2009)
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