VC in-charge appeals, students protest
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 24 2018:
Manipur University VC in-charge Prof K Yugindro has appealed to all concerned for cooperation towards restoration of normalcy in the university.
On the other hand, a large number of womenfolk today staged protest demonstrations demanding unconditional release of all arrested students and teachers.
The women earlier planned to stage a joint protest demonstration at the obelisk square inside MU campus but they could not assemble together due to strict vigil mounted by a large number of police personnel.
Students staying in the five women hostels staged relay hunger-strikes at the gates of their respective hostels.
They put up placards which read as "Release arrested teachers and students", "Don't violate our right to education", "We condemn suspension of teachers", "Withdraw security forces from MU campus", "We are not terrorists", "Don't play dirty politics at educational institutions" etc.
Soon after the women students began their protest demonstration, a large number of women belonging to different organisations gathered at MU main gate.
However, they were blocked by police from entering MU campus and driven away beyond the main gate.
However, one woman who sneaked past the police barricade was lifted by women police and brought outside.
In the meantime, members of the Manipur University Working Women Association (MUWWA) staged a sit-in-protest in front of Chemistry Department.
Talking to media, persons on their protest agitation, Prof Nahakpam Aruna decried the massive raid carried out by police inside MU campus on September 20 night and September 21 morning, and the arrest of a number of students and teachers.
This is unprecedented in the history of the State, she added.
The massive and violent raid not only defiled the sanctity of the State's highest seat of learning but also created a fear psychosis among the university community, she said.
She appealed the authorities concerned to release all the arrested students and teachers and restore normalcy in MU.
Briefing media persons at his office today, Pro-VC Prof Yugindro who has also been given the charge of VC lamented that some unwanted incidents took place on September 20 when he came to MU to take charge of VC.
Claiming that MU has been slowly returning to normalcy, Prof Yugindro pledged that he would leave no stone unturned to restore complete normalcy in MU.
He appealed to teachers and staff to return to their duties and students to classrooms.
Conceding that normalcy cannot be restored without teachers, students and staff, he invited the university community to put forward their wishes.
He also assured that he would invest maximum efforts to fulfil the university community's wishes.
He said that he would see how to get arrested students and teachers released at the earliest.
"I would also take up the matter with the State Government's concerned authorities", Prof Yugindro said.
To a query, he said that police personnel currently stationed inside MU campus will leave the campus once normalcy returns to the campus.