AP Pandey back at MU ! Violating spirit of MoA
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 03 2018 -

Comically tragic. Tragic for what is at stake here is Manipur University and the future of the students.

Comical because AP Pandey is supposed to be on leave as per the MoA signed between MUTA, MUSU, MUTA on the one hand and the State Government and the Union HRD Ministry on the other.

As per the MoA signed on August 16 AP Pandey is to be on leave and it is given in quote here, ‘That, during the period of inquiry and until follow up action taken on the inquiry report by the competent authority preferably within a period of 15 days, Prof AP Pandey will be on leave.’

The interesting point is, the probe panel is yet to submit its report and thus the question, under what ground has AP Pandey resumed office ?

Or is he finding the slip in the mention of the 15 days period ?

The spirit of the MoA however should be understood in the context in which it was signed and that is until the follow up action.

The 15 days window should be understood within the context of preferably and should always be subject to the term ‘until follow up action taken on the inquiry report by the competent authority.’

The technicalities of the terms used in the MoA aside, is AP Pandey respecting or adhering by the spirit of the MoA and the more important question is, what is the stand of the Union HRD Ministry on this ?

More than apparent that AP Pandey would not have had the gumption to resume office at this juncture without the knowledge of some powerful and influential people at New Delhi and this is what sucks.

Totally unacceptable for in doing this, it may be said that he has damned the spirit of the MoA and thus the stature of the Union HRD Ministry.

This is not all, for as soon as he resumed office, AP Pandey issued another circular banning MUTA and MUSA under some clauses of Manipur University.

A confrontationist stand it is and explicit in the circular of the VC is the point, ‘I don’t care what you say or want, but I will exercise my power as the VC and ban you.’

On the other hand MUTA, MUSU and MUSA have given time till September 4 for the authority concerned to take up appropriate action against AP Pandey for violating the spirit of the MoA.

The interesting question is, how will the Union HRD Ministry respond to the new situation ?

Or will it follow the earlier chart and remain indifferent for MU to see yet another round of lock out ?

And if a lock out persists, then there is every possibility for some to play politics and pitch one group of students against another group.

This is a word of caution to everyone, for such a possibility cannot be written off.

AP Pandey surely seems to have understood the politics at MU as can be understood in the voice of dissent raised by some hill based student organisations when the stand off at MU was at its most intense.

On the other hand, let it also be very clear that the stand off will not only be between AP Pandey and the MU community for CSOs, student organisations and Meira Paibis, are more than likely to jump into the fray.

If the issue is not resolved within the deadline served by MUTA, MUSU and MUSA, the second chapter of the MU stir will be much more intense.

The Centre needs to step in immediately.