The Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) on "TRI, Manipur and its Functioning" on Saturday served an ultimatum of 10 days to the state government for streamlining the functioning of TRI, Imphal by addressing its various shortcomings, including failure to organise Annual State Level Tribal Festival for almost five years.
The JCC will be compelled to take up a series of democratic agitations, including dharna, public rallies, bandh, blockades and others, in case of failure to fulfil their demands, warned JCC convenor W Shinglai while speaking to the media at Manipur Press Club in Imphal.
He alleged that the Tribal Research Institute, Imphal failed to take up many needed projects for the welfare of the tribal, it failed to tap funds from the ministry of Tribal Affairs and no effort was made to increase the fund for the TRI in the state budget.
Parat from its failure to offer M Phil, PhD, post doctoral and senior research fellowship till date, it also failed to create at least 15 research posts to make it a real research institute as it must serve as a “body of knowledge and thinking tank” of tribal society as desired by the ministry in its operation guidelines for TRIs, he added.
Despite several appeals made to the state government, it is regrettable that the government has miserably failed to effectively look into the functioning of the only TRI in Manipur, he said.
Informing that the JCC sought the appointment with the chief minister to discuss the issue in a civil manner without resorting to any disruptive tactics and waited patiently in good faith for a call from the chief minister's office, it said the latter never bothered to schedule a meeting to discuss the urgent matter of TRI.
Meanwhile, the Rongmei Naga Youth Organisation on Saturday clarified that it is not a represented body to the JCC on TRI in any manner.
Gd Chaningai Wilson, General Secretary of the Rongmei Naga Youth Organisation said in a press release that the RNYO was never invited nor intimidated about the formation of JAC/JCC nor did it participate. Implying or using the name of RNYO without due knowledge and consent of the organisation is unfortunate and amounts to crime against the organisation, it stated.
The RNYO has called for the leaders of JAC/JCC on TRI to tender an apology and notify the same in a public domain immediately.
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