Press Conference organized on Manipur University Crisis Issue at Delhi
Date :: August 01st, 2018

Press Conference organized on Manipur University Crisis Issue at Delhi

PRESS CONFERENCE ORGANIZED ON MANIPUR UNIVERSITY CRISIS ISSUE!
REPRESENTATIVES FROM DUTA, FEDCUTA, JNUTA ADDRESS MEDIA ON THE ISSUE!
TERM PROLONGATION OF CRISIS AT MU AN INDICATION OF BJP GOVT’S APATHY!
EFFORTS BEING MADE TO DISMANTLE EDUCATION BY SAFFRON BRIGADE!
MU CRISIS HIGHEST CULMINATION OF POLICIES OF RSS-BJP!

North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) and Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA) today organized a press conference at Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) on the issue of the crisis at Manipur University. It should be noted that Manipur University students, students’ union, teachers, karamcharis and civil society members have been agitating for more than last 2 months, demanding MU Vice-Chancellor, Adya Prasad Pandey’s removal. They are demanding his removal for the irregularities committed by his office.

The press conference was addressed by Nandita Narain, former President, DU Teachers’ Association (DUTA) and FEDCUTA and representing DU teachers; Sudhir Suthar, Secretary, JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA); Dr. Maya John, eminent teachers’ and women’s rights activist in solidarity with Manipur University students, NEFIS and KSA. A solidarity letter from FEDCUTA was also read out at the conference.

Sudhir Suthar, JNUTA secretary raised concern over the rapid dismantling of higher educational institutions in the country. He pointed out the manner in which such dismantling has been initiated under BJP regime. He emphasized that Manipur University issue was not an isolated event. Rather such attempts have been made at other universities such as DU, FTII, Hyderabad University among others.

Nandita Narain, former President DUTA and FEDCUTA expressed her concern over HRD Ministry’s denial to send MU V-C on leave despite an inquiry being conducted against him. It points out the ministry’s outright attempt to save the V-C and was in contravention of established practice of sending V-Cs on leave during an inquiry.

Dr. Maya John spoke about the role of BJP government in expediting privatization of public-funded institutions by depriving them of funds and dismantling them by appointing subservient administrators and thereby curbing democratic movements in universities.

Vice President of KSA also addressed the mediapersons at the conference and apprised them about the ground situation prevailing at the university. He also raised concern about future of the students of MU and affiliated colleges and blamed the BJP government for perpetuating the crisis and neglecting the larger interest of students.

It should be known that despite the fact that the university has come to a standstill and future of common students has been left in the lurch due to prolongation of the crisis at MU, the attitude of Union HRD Ministry is apathetic. The apathy conceals a deeper motive of the Union BJP Government i.e. that of dismantling higher education in the country.

From FTII to University of Hyderabad, conscious efforts have been made by the government to install BJP-RSS protégés to administrative positions and thus lay out ways to throttle academic environment of these institutions and expedite privatization. North-East has chronically been deprived of quality higher educational institutions. But the policies of privatization and destruction of public-funded higher educational institutions which the BJP Government intends to implement across the country, are also aimed at dismantling even Manipur University. The crisis at Manipur University is the culmination of such efforts of the saffron brigade.

Yesterday, NEFIS and KSA activists along with the students of Manipur University, common students from Manipur and other states, as well as other organizations, had held a massive protest demonstration at Union HRD Ministry over MU crisis issue. The protesting students who were demanding to meet the HRD Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar, were forcibly stopped from demonstrating outside the ministry by the police.

The students were brutally detained and taken to Parliament Street police station. Later, a delegation of activists comprising student delegates from Manipur University along with NEFIS and KSA members submitted a memorandum addressed to HRD Minister along with signatures of common students, teachers and civil society members demanding V-C’s removal.

MU V-C’s office, it should be known, faces many charges such as corruption, nepotism, irregularities in administration, destroying academic atmosphere and misappropriation of funds. Irregularities committed by him include making arbitrary and illegal donations from university funds to student group, ABVP.

He has been guilty of not conducting meetings with Executive Council and Finance Council as stipulated by Manipur University rules and brazenly violates MU Act, 2005 by neglecting court meetings. He is also guilty of grave financial and administrative irregularities, including appointment to non-existent posts and vindictive denial of promotion to a large number of teachers by making illegal changes in the due process.

NEFIS and KSA have resolved to intensify the movement in the coming days if their demands are not accepted by the Union HRD ministry soon.

Chinglen Khumukcham,
Convening Committee Member,
North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS)

Sukham Bidyananda,
Vice-President,
Kangleipak Students Association (KSA)