Amidst the din and clamour in Manipur University over the demand to remove the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Adya Prasad Pandey, the tribal students’ bodies have threatened to launch protests if the university authorities fail to resume classes by Monday.
A report published in the The Times of India stated that at a joint meeting of the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM), Kuki Students’ Organisation, General Headquarters (KSOGHQ) and the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) convened in Imphal on Saturday, a resolution was taken to ask the authorities to bring back normal academic atmosphere from Monday.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
A decision was also taken that these tribal students’ bodies, along with other organisations from the hill districts, will begin protests if normalcy is not restored by Monday. The report further stated that Manipur University has been in the midst of a two-month-long impasse, with teachers, students and staff demanding the resignation of the V-C
Adya Prasad Pandey. The protesters have brought several charges of “administrative and financial improprieties” against Pandey.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar Singh on Sunday appealed to the agitating varsity community to “cooperate” with the probe panel and help bring normalcy back to the campus and resume normal classes. “Bringing back normalcy will help the probe panel to conduct its investigation in a free and fair manner,” Joykumar said in a press conference in Imphal.
Pointing out that bringing back normalcy is the State Government’s topmost priority as the “future of 25,000 students is at stake”, he also appealed to the tribal students’ bodies to maintain peace. Joykumar also said the Government will initiate its own remedial measures if the report of the probe panel is found to be “unsatisfactory”.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
He added that a high-power ministerial team may be formed to discuss the developments and representatives from the agitating bodies of teachers, students and staff members will be called in for discussion.
The Education Minister Th Radheshyam lamented that the future of the students pursuing postgraduate courses in 93 colleges is at stake as results of their 6th semester examinations have not been declared owing to the ongoing crisis. He appealed to all the protesters to extend all possible cooperation so that the examination results can be declared and administrative activities can be resumed at the earliest.