Mizoram students to protest frequent changes of governors

The students' organisations in Mizoram would hold protests here next week against frequent changes of governors in the state, a statement said on Tuesday.

The Congress-ruled Mizoram has the odd distinction of having seen seven governors in eight months.

Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) or the Mizo Students Federation (MSF), the apex body of student organisations in the state, announced it would hold demonstrations and blockade central government offices here and organise protest rallies during President Pranab Mukherjee's visit on April 9 and 10.

"The spate of sackings and transfers of Mizoram governors is 'disrespectful' and shows how the central government looks down upon Mizos," MZP general secretary Ramdinliana Renthlei said in a statement.

He said: "The MZP cannot quietly accept the fact that the Centre uses the state to dump those governors it dislikes or wants to resign. Our land is not a place where you can just throw what you consider garbage."

The MZP said it would protest outside Raj Bhavan here when West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who has been given additional charge of Mizoram after incumbent Governor Aziz Qureshi was sacked on Saturday, arrives for the swearing-in ceremony.

"The MZP would also lay siege to all central government offices in Aizawl to stop employees from entering buildings for work and put up black flags on all buildings accommodating these offices," the statement said.

The president is to be the chief guest at the ninth annual convocation of Mizoram University on April 10.