The Mizoram government on Friday issued an order prohibiting politicians from delivering lectures on political issues in the state's colleges and universities.
The prohibition order was issued by the state government after the heads of the opposition parties Zoramthanga of Mizo National Front (MNF) and Lalduhawma of Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) delivered lectures in colleges across the state.
While Zoramthanga was invited by two different colleges to deliver a lecture on separatist movements in the northeast and the Mizoran Accord, Lalduhawma of ZNP talked on various subjects in colleges. The state order said that the such lectures disturb the environment and upset the students.
The state order also directed teachers in government colleges to refrain from inviting politicians to deliver lectures on sensitive issues. The order also added that the teachers who do not follow the directives will be penalised, according to Northeast Today.
Meanwhile, college teachers, students, unions and opposition parties are not in favour of the state directives and have said that the government led by Lal Thanhawla is attacking freedom of speech. The academicians across the state said that such restrictions would hinder the students, particularly students studying political science in colleges.
The Aizawl City College Joint Students' Union, Aizawl City College Joint Students' Union, and Mizo Zirlai Pawl met Mizoram's Higher and Technical Education Minister R Romawia and had a discussion on the directives.
The opposition parties of the state also criticised the order for imposing restrictions on teachers and students saying that students have the capability of differentiating between propaganda and historical facts.
