The All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM) has called upon the State government to lift the banning of internet services within five days without any further extension and restore internet connectivity in the State or face consequences.
ANSAM, in a press release issued on Tuesday, cautioned that it will take up various forms of agitation if the State government fails to restore the internet connectivity within 5 five days period from Tuesday.
The Naga students’ body said that internet is not merely a communication system but is a chosen platform for research and information among many others and as such, internet shutdown in the State has serious implication for the entire population, including the peace loving Nagas who have no role in causing any danger or nuisance in the ongoing violence. Internet shutdown in the State for more than 158 days, causes widespread censorship and it is a clear violation of citizens’ fundamental rights given in the constitution, it stated.
ANSAM said, “Lifting the order only for few broadband users and government offices for administrative purposes with an exorbitant rate does not provide a solution to the necessities in times of urgency and cannot be a justification to its proportionality of the ongoing violence and prevailing situation”.
“The delayed response and lack of sincere intervention from the centre government to the prevailing situation in the State raises concerns about its propriety and effectiveness of the internet shutdown whether it is being used as a tool to suppress information and control the narrative surrounding the events happening in Manipur,” it added.
Expressing its deep concern in the interests of the students and the Nagas who have been maintaining neutrality at this crucial juncture after serious observation to the ongoing situation in the State, ANSAM said that the prolonged internet shutdown has raised adverse impacts on economic status in the State such as disruption of communication while accessing emergency services, educational limitations and research hindering access to online educational resources, impediment to heath care services which plays a crucial role in healthy delivery accessing medical information for the medical students.
ANSAM also stated that it had already appealed the State government on September 7 and 29 pertaining to the blanket banning of the internet in the State by stating various reasons to lift the suspension/curbing of mobile internet or data services order through VPN in the interests of the general populace.
On the issue of recruitment exam result, ANSAM reiterated its demand to declare the result of the interview held in the month of September 2021 for the appointment of 190 Posts of Assistant Professors(145+45 ST Special Drive) for Government Colleges of Manipur at the earliest
