The prolonged unrest in Manipur has brought about a distressing situation for a considerable number of students from the state who are currently residing in the national capital. With the disruption of Internet services and restricted movement in Manipur, students from Manipur living in Delhi-NCR are encountering difficulties in receiving financial support from their families back home.
The reliance on relatives and friends for assistance in covering rent and fees has become a necessity for many students.
This predicament is particularly burdensome for those enrolled in private colleges, where substantial fees are required, as well as for those living in rented accommodations. In order to meet their daily needs, some students have resorted to part-time jobs.
The challenge of paying rent has become especially daunting for those residing in PGs and rented accommodations. RK Yaiphaba, Vice President of the Manipur Students Association of Delhi, who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) degree from Delhi University, expressed the hardships faced by all Manipur students living in Delhi over the past 45 days.
“We are currently surviving by arranging money from our relatives and friends here to pay rent and meet our daily needs since we are unable to receive money from our homes. The situation is so dire that we are even willing to work as waiters just to ensure we have food on our plates,” he said.
Another student from a college in Delhi emphasized the urgent need for the government to take immediate action, even if it requires the use of force, to restore normalcy in Manipur. She questioned how they would be able to sustain themselves and called for peace, highlighting the support and assistance provided by Manipur students to each other in these challenging times.
Bikram, a student at a university in Noida, shared the struggles faced by Manipur students and their efforts to find employment in call centers, hotels, or restaurants to ensure timely payment of rent for their PG or rented accommodations. While they have received financial support from their friends, they are aware of the limitations and are grateful for the assistance provided in these difficult circumstances.
M Konthoujam, a student at Delhi University, expressed the burden borne by Manipur students as a result of the ongoing violence in Manipur, preventing them from returning home and leaving them without means to sustain themselves in Delhi. The current situation has left them uncertain about their next steps. Konthoujam emphasized the urgent need for intervention by both the state and central governments to take decisive measures and restore stability in the region.
In an interim order, the Manipur High Court has directed the state authorities to provide limited Internet services to the public in designated places under their control. The court’s decision came in response to a Public Interest Litigation filed by several individuals, and the case is set to be heard again on June 23.
The shortage of essential supplies, including transport fuel, cooking gas, and life-saving drugs, coupled with disruptions in banking and online facilities, have severely impacted the daily lives of people in the strife-torn state. The suspension of Internet services for the past one-and-a-half months throughout Manipur has added to the hardships faced by students residing in Delhi-NCR.