IT News
Imphal, Aug 8:
In today’s assembly session, INC MLA Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh in a calling attention motion raised the issue of the growing threats and extortion demands faced by educational institutions in the state. He expressed deep concern over the ongoing challenges, stressing the importance of protecting schools and colleges.
Lokeshwar highlighted that the “Education Free Zone” demand remains unmet, and the situation has escalated with students and teachers regularly protesting for protection. “Educational institutions are temples of learning and must be safeguarded. Teachers have reported that unknown individuals are making monetary demands, which is deeply troubling,” he stated. The ongoing conflict and law and order issues, he added, have severely impacted the education sector, with students bearing the brunt of the disruption.
He urged the government to address these concerns and take immediate action.
Responding to the issue, Education Minister Basantakumar Thounaojam acknowledged the impact of these extortion demands on the atmosphere in schools and colleges. He assured the assembly that all possible steps are being taken to address the situation. “I will propose certain measures to the Security Advisor and the DGP. In the short term, security should be provided, police patrols should be increased, and criminal elements should be detained,” Thounaojam stated. He also emphasized the need for intelligence gathering and urged station OCs to take proactive steps.
The Minister praised student organizations for their protests and revealed that the Home Department is currently discussing long-term policy solutions to ensure the safety of educational institutions in the state.
