Neso activists at the demonstration near Raj Bhavan in Shillong on Friday. Picture by UB Photos

Shillong/Imphal, June 29: The North East Students’ Organisation (Neso) today demonstrated in front of Raj Bhavan in protest against the state governments’ failure to solve the perennial flood and erosion in Assam and other burning issues of the region.

Neso comprises the All Assam Students’ Union, Khasi Students’ Union, Garo Students’ Union, All Manipur Students’ Union, Mizo Zirlai Pawl, Naga Students’ Federation, All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union and the Twipra Students’ Federation.

Shouting slogans and carrying placards, hundreds of activists from the various student unions took part in the demonstration.

For the past eight years, the organisation had been demonstrating in front of all the Raj Bhavans in the region, where memorandums were submitted to the respective governors — deemed as the representatives of the Centre in the states.

The demands include putting in place a comprehensive policy on infiltration of illegal migrants and refugees, repealing of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, employment policy and a separate time zone for the Northeast, special constitutional status for the people of the region, halting of construction of mega dams, economic and infrastructure development, solution to the inter-state boundary disputes, and finding a resolution to the Indo-Bangladesh land-swap deal.

Neso information and publicity secretary Samuel B. Jyrwa submitted the memorandum containing the demands to governor R.S. Mooshahary through a government official, as the head of state was out of station.

Speaking to reporters, Jyrwa condemned the apathetic attitude adopted by the Centre towards the region as the demands, most of them having been made for the past eight years, have not been fulfilled.

“The issues we have been raising concern the future and the security of the entire region. But it is unfortunate that the Centre has been turning a deaf ear to the long pending demands. We condemn the attitude adopted by the Centre,” the Neso leader said.

“We will not succumb to whatever tactics the Centre adopts to divide our people. We will fight for our rights,” he added. The organisation also said it would intensify its agitation if the Centre still chooses to adopt a lackadaisical attitude towards their demands.

In Manipur, today police prevented students from demonstrating at the gate of Imphal Raj Bhavan as a part of the students’ protest.

The Imphal protest was organised by Amsu. As the students started marching towards Raj Bhavan, the police stopped them and snatched away the banners.

Amsu president Th. Suresh said the students were denied a peaceful and democratic protest.