Congress-affiliated DU teachers to boycott PM Modi's Jun 30 visit

New Delhi: A section of teachers affiliated with the Congress on Wednesday announced they will boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Delhi University on June 30 over his "silence" on the Manipur issue.

Prime Minister Modi will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the Delhi University's (DU) centenary celebrations on Friday.

In a statement, the Indian National Teachers' Congress (INTEC) said PM Modi has not uttered a single word on Manipur which has witnessed on and off violence for close to two months now.

"The INTEC has decided to boycott the Prime Minister's visit to protest against the apathetic attitude of the Indian government towards the Manipur crises and problems of teachers and students of the University of Delhi," the group said.

Many students and teachers from Manipur are mentally disturbed by the ongoing crisis and the DU administration is watching as a silent spectator like others, the group alleged.

"Not even a single word has been uttered by our Prime Minister on the deepening crisis of Manipur. The crisis of human existence and survival in Manipur due to ethnic conflict between Kukis and Maeteis has the worst outcome of loss of human lives. It has been going on for nearly two months. Everybody in Manipur is affected by this crisis," the statement said.

It said the education sector has suffered too with schools and colleges shut for almost two months and no competitive examinations conducted in the state. "Everything is in a state of chaos. Normalcy is far to reach." Nearly 120 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 are injured since the ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3.

The clashes first erupted after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.