MU students protest show-cause notice to Prof
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 30 2022: Denouncing the show cause notice served to MU Manipuri Department assistant professor Dr N Sanatomba by the registrar for sharing opinion on legalisation of liquor, irate students of the varsity stormed the office of the registrar on Friday.

Large number of students marched towards the A-Block of the varsity demanding withdrawal of the notice, when security guard deployed at MU tried to stop the protesting students.

However, the students overpowered the security personnel and stormed to the registrar's office but found the registrar out of his office.

There was also conflict between the students and staffers of the office.

Upon receiving information about the incident, a police team led by Imphal West SP Ksh Shivakanta came and tried to disperse the irate students and subsequently confronted with the students.

Some of the window panes were destroyed in the ensuing melee.

Later, the registrar came and met the students, during which the latter demanded revocation of the show cause notice, while the former claimed that he is not in power to revoke it as it was a decision taken in a dean committee's meeting held in the presence of VC.

The registrar, however, assured to discuss the issue with the VC.

Later, the agitated students gathered at MUSU office and resolved to continue the protest until the show cause notice has been revoked.

Meanwhile, AMWJU general secretary Khwairakpam Naoba, in a statement, condemned the hindrance given by MUSU president Sanasam Steven to reporters while trying to cover the protest incident.

AMWJU seriously takes the statement of MUSU president not to report the news of the incident.

Reporting a news or not is a responsibility of media and not of MUSU, the statement said, while adding that giving true report of an incident to the people is the duty of journalists.

The statement also appealed against giving hindrance to the freedom of press from any section of the society.

According to the show cause notice issued by Manipur University Registrar Prof W Chandbabu Singh dated September 27, Dr Sanatomba delivered a speech during the debate competition that criticised the state government with regard to tourism, legalisation of liquor and various other sensitive issues.

The debate was organised by Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU) on September 25 at the conference hall of the Manipur Institute of Management Studies, Manipur University.

During his speech, Dr Sanatomba had said, "Over 70 to 80 percent of people consuming alcohol in the state are either addicted or from the poorer section of the society.

So, for alcoholic persons, the quality of alcohol will not make any difference.

However, for poorer section of the society, it is always a burden whether it is legal to drink or banned in the state".

Dr Sanatomba had also compared Manipur with other states that have taken up initiatives aimed at eradicating drugs and alcohol and lamented that the Manipur government lifted the prohibition on sale and consumption of liquor "to earn Rs 600-800 crore per annum".

He also lamented the failure of the government to come up with proper mechanism for creating job opportunities in the state.

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