Varsity students met Heptulla, demonstrators picked up

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, September 7, 2018: Spearheaded by Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU) large number of students of Manipur University thronged towards the governor bungalow demanding to settle the varsity issue.

The demonstrating students raised slogans “Go Back A.P. Pandey”. They protested against the inaction of the government toward the ‘high handedness’ of professor A.P. Pandey and professor M. Shyamkesho.

The student agitators staged sit-in in front of the governor’s bungalow.

A team of 10, including executives of MUSU and students representatives were allowed to meet Manipur governor Najma A. Heptulla and narrated the whole issue of the Manipur University and the breached in restored normalcy of the University since September 1 after VC A.P Pandey decline to accept his leave as well as issuance of suspension order of MU VC in-Charge Professor W. Vishwanath Singh and Professor Dorendrajit Singh, registrar in-charge and the force attempt to corner the office of the VC office by Pandey by allowing the former in charge Professor M. Shyamkesho Singh to issue order for suspension of the VC in-Charge and Registrar in-Charge.

The governor assured the current issue and situation of the University will be appraised to the President of India who is also the visitor at her best level and will assist to bring back normalcy at the most earliest time, said MUSU President M. Dayamand.

Students who were demonstrating in front of the gate of Manipur governor’s bungalow were apprehended.

Post graduate exams of Manipur University have been postponed as the Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU) has resumed its strike demanding ouster of vice-chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey.

Controller of examination of the varsity, A Narayan Singh in his notifications has cancelled the exams that were scheduled on September 7 till 15 until further notification. The exam that was scheduled to begin on September 4 was also postponed.

After 85 days of shutdown strike the varsity had returned to normalcy on September 1 after the HRD ministry has approved the memorandum of agreement signed on August 16 between the teachers, students and the staffs’ organisations on one side and the Manipur government and HRD ministry on the other side.

It was agreed to constitute an independent enquiry committee to inquire over the allegation against Pandey by the students. The HRD ministry gave him a leave of 30 days which began on August 2.

Pandey on Saturday declared that he has resumed his duty as the leave is over.

An order, issued by the university’s registrar (in-charge) Sh. Dorendrajit Singh, said Pandey’s leave had been extended with effect from September 1 until the completion of the inquiry proceedings against him and a necessary follow-up action was taken on the inquiry report.

The independent enquiry committee set up to probe charges levelled against Manipur University VC Prof AP Pandey has initiated the enquiry process on Thursday with its maiden sitting held at Classic Hotel.

Meghalaya High Court acting Chief Justice T Nandakumar is the Chairman of the two-member committee. Former vice-chancellor of Tezpur University MK Choudhury is the other member of the committee.

The meeting decided to carry on the enquiry under the Commission of Enquiry Act 1952.The committee also decided to appoint retired district and session Judge L. Birendrakumar Sharma for performing ministerial jobs such as issuing summons, notices, advertisements etc on behalf of the committee.

The sitting was continued today.