NESO demands special status for N-E

Guwahati, Jun 30 (UNI) The North East Student's Organisation (NESO), an umbrella organisation of various student's union in the NE, has demanded special constitutional status to the region delegating federal authority to the state governments, including rights over land and its natural resources.

In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the NESO recently said that special constitutional status for the region would pave the way for rapid economic development of the region.

NESO chairman Dr Samujjal Bhattacharrya today said for the first time, students organisations from all the N-E states raised common demands for economic, political and social uplift for the people of seven states of Asom, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura.

''It would be prudent on part of the Centre to take a serious view of our demands and initiate urgent steps to fulfil the same, the NESO leader said.

Talking about the conflict situation in the region, where human rights is violated, the NESO urged the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to accede and honour the United Nations Covenants to guard human rights.

The NESO demanded withdrawal of certain laws from the region, including the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1858 (amended 1972); National Security Act, 1980; the Punjab State Security Act, 1953 and the Assam Maintenance of Public Order (Autonomous district), Act 1953.

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