Tribal Students memo to Human Resource Development Minister on Manipur University
Date :: July 10th, 2018 , New Delhi

Tribal Students protest at New Delhi for normalcy in Manipur University on July 10 2018

Manipur University, which is a central university, has been paralysed since May 30, 2018 due to the agitation by a law bound Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU) with the support of the Manipur University Teacher's Association (MUTA) over their demand for removal of the Vice-Chancellor.

In spite of repeated request from the Registrar and Vice-Chancellor of the University for adequate security arrangement for restoration of normalcy in the university, the state government, which is responsible for maintaining law and order situation of the university, has not taken any effective measure for restoration of normalcy.

All the 86 colleges and institutions in the state are affiliated to Manipur University with more than 20,000 Bachelor’s students and 3000 above Master’s students. There are 100 examination centres under the University for Thirty Different Courses. Due to the current impasse created by the MUSU volunteers inside the university, disrupting all administrative and academic affairs, the careers of students are in great jeopardy.

This is tantamount to assassination of students’ career. The agitation, as we see, is only counter-productive. This is an irreparable loss for the whole society. The blame game should stop immediately and the agitating students' body are once again requested to immediately withdraw its agitation to pave way for resumption of normal administrative and academic activities in the university.

We, the joint student bodies, have issued a media release denouncing the agitation as we are not convinced with the allegations against the vice-chancellor and the reasons for his removal. The allegations levelled by MUSU & MUTA that the varsity’s vice chancellor is incompetent holds no ground, and in fact it contradicts the reality.

Prof Pandey is one of the most efficient and able vice-chancellors the university has ever had since its inception. Prof Pandey is performing with a sense of responsibility and justice in all aspects of the functioning of the varsity in the larger interest of the student community. The notion that a non-local vice-chancellor is incompetent just because of being a non-local does not provide a rationale for his removal.

As regards the allegation over the frequent tour of the vice-chancellor outside the state, we believe that such official tours are not bad as long as they benefit the varsity. We understand that such tour may in fact be necessary given that the university is a Central university. With respect to the Y-Category Security, the government after full assessment felt that he deserves to be protected with a Y-Category due to threat perception and security reasons. He has been provided a bullet-proof vehicle for the same reason. The security protocol of frisking and checking where necessary should not have been a big issue.

We have also expressed our dissatisfaction over the negligence by the government to solve the problem. It seems the state government has not done its job to restore normalcy in the varsity and this suggests there is an ulterior motive behind the agitation. University as a temple of learning should be equipped with peaceful environment that shapes the image of the society and it should be free from unhealthy politics.

The Joint Tribal Student Bodies have submitted a memorandum to the Union Human Resource Development minister on 7th July, 2018 urging his immediate intervention to solve the problems in Manipur University.

We understand that the agitating MUSU have refused repeated invitations from the chief minister for talks, but we wonder why the chief minister has not taken any effective action. The state government talked about free-bandh Manipur, but seems to be blind to the indefinite bandh in Manipur University, which has been paralysed for more than a month now. The careers of thousands of students have been affected but there seems to be no end to the imbroglio.

We are holding this peaceful protest for return of normalcy in Manipur University and we urge the government or authorities concerned to:

1. Take up adequate measures immediately to ensure safety and security of students, staff and properties and to facilitate immediate resumption of normal activities in Manipur University.

2. To establish an inquiry to investigate into the allegations of MUSU against the vice-chancellor and also to investigate if there have been any ulterior motive behind the agitation.

3. Constitute a high level independent inquiry commission to bring permanent solution to the frequent problems in Manipur University in the last decade and appropriate actions be taken against all those found guilty be it the incumbent vice chancellor or his predecessors or any one.

4. Not to remove the vice-chancellor until after the completion of the inquiries and unless the vice-chancellor is found guilty of wrongdoings that befit his removal.

See a photo Gallery on this protest here

Sd/-
Thadou Students' Association, General Headquarters (TSA-GHQ)
Rongmei Naga Students' Organization, North East India (RNSO-NEI)
Liangmai Naga Katimai Ruangdi Assam Manipur Nagaland (LNKR-AMN)
Zomi Students’ Federation, Delhi (ZSF-D)