DESAM demands unconditional release of its volunteers
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 22 2021: While denouncing the act of harassing innocent teachers of NB College, Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has demanded the government for unconditional release of its volunteers, who were arrested on Tuesday.

Demanding probe and punishing of those 'pseudo' teachers responsible for creating enmity among the teacher community, DESAM secretary general Leishangthem Lamyanba told news persons at its office here on Wednesday, that the academic atmosphere of Naorem Birahari College remained disrupted for many years as teachers of the college formed groups and accused one another with an eye on the post of the principal.

In a bid to settle the issue, DESAM as a student organisation has been meeting and talking with every stakeholder.

Continuing the process, DESAM convened a meeting on September 21 to settle the issue amicably.

Unfortunately, the teachers confronted against one another during the meeting.

When a volunteer tried to stop Shitaljit (teacher) from storming out of the meeting, he yelled and started assaulting the former who simply tried to defend himself from the particular teacher, Lamyanba recounted and clarified that DESAM never hit any teacher.

Asking whether it is appropriate for a teacher to use slang words at students, Lamyanba said that it would be useless to level fictitious charges against DESAM to cover up own misdeeds.

The secretary also contended that Shitaljit joined the college on December 16, 1996 as per the appointment letter issued by NB College secretary L Tikendra but passed MSc (Physics) from Manipur University on April 24, 1997.As he joined the college as a teacher before completing post-graduation, Shitaljit's appointment is null and void, Lamyanba said.

In order to cover up the wrong doings, Shitaljit was purportedly re-appointed on August 7, 1997 by NBC secretary Y Thoiba Singh but official record of the later appointment could not be furnished thereby suggesting that standard appointment rules were flouted, he maintained, while stating that Directorate of University and Higher Education and Department of Higher and Technical Education Manipur should not recognise Shitaljit as faculty member of NB College.

If the government appoints him as principal in-charge then it would be a big mistake on the part of the government, the secretary cautioned and proposed constituting a committee to probe into the matter and make public the findings.

Regarding the incident that occurred on Tuesday, Lamyanba belittled the act of Shitaljit and his group who alleged through the media that a state level student organisation is being used by teachers - Ekasini and Kunjabati.

Enquiring whether DESAM could appoint principal or an authority, Lamyanba said that activities of DESAM are to find out the truth.

Instead of extending cooperation in finding out the truth, Shitaljit acted indifferently and fearing revelation of wrongdoings Shitaljit, after consulting with higher authorities, filed FIR against DESAM.

Such act of confronting DESAM will not bring any good, Lamyanba said, while adding that the organisation is ready to take the case to its logical end.

He also informed that during the course of DESAM's mass reformation campaign phase I and II, various anomalies came to light including the government discriminating faculty members, undermining seniority protocols of teachers and ignoring grievances of the students.

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