UCM, NESO coated with UG hue

Imphal, Febuary 18: Minister of State for Home Affairs, ID Swami today informed the Lok Sabha that five Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) - Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), North East Coordination Committee on Human Rights (NECOHR), United Committee, Manipur (UCM), Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and Naga Students Federation (NSF) - have clandestine links with terrorist organizations in the North East. He said these organizations reportedly maintain discreet links with terrorist outfits. 13 terrorist organizations of North Eastern States have been declared as unlawful associations, he said. Meanwhile the All Manipur Students' Union has strongly opposed the booklet issued by the BJP Youth Morcha which said that the North East Students' Organization undergo military training with militants on the Indo-Bangladesh border. The booklet of the Youth Morcha is entitled, "Pakistan: A Fountainhead of Cross Border Terrorism." Speaking to newsmen at the AMSU headquarters today, AMSU general secretary A Shyam said the offending sentences should be deleted or else they would be constrained to launch a series of agitation against the BJP led Government at New Delhi. The booklet was released by Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani recently, said the student leader adding that the offending words are found on the second last paragraph of page 20 of the booklet. The paragraph said that the ISI has given the instructions to impart military training to the United Liberation Front of Seven Sisters (ULFOSS) near the Indo-Bangladesh border. The booklet said that the organizations which form part of ULFOSS are ULFA, NSCN, PLA and NESO. Clubbing a student organization of the North East which has a constitution of its own with militant groups is nothing but an attempt by the BJP to paint the students of the region in the wrong light, he said. AMSU will not remain silent over such a smear campaign. The State BJP unit should intimate to their Central leadership that the contents of the booklet is without any basis, said A Shyam and added that a clarification should be issued within ten days time. If the Central BJP leadership fails to clarify within the stipulated time, then all the State BJP MLAs and members should resign from the party, said the student leader. AMSU in collaboration with NESO will also launch a united campaign in the whole North Eastern region. The student body has also strongly condemned the picking up of a staffer of The Sangai Express by Assam Rifles from the office of the daily and the subsequent assault the scribe was subjected to. AMSU will support all future course of action taken up by AMWJU on the matter, said A Shyam.