Manipur University students, teachers rejects new fact finding committee constituted by Union HRD Ministry

The Manipur University Students Union and the Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur have rejected the new fact finding committee constituted by the Union HRD Ministry. While speaking to Northeast Live,

The Manipur University Students Union and the Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur have rejected the new fact finding committee constituted by the Union HRD Ministry.

While speaking to Northeast Live, MUSU president M Dayaman said that they were disappointed with the formation of the fact finding committee as there was nothing mentioned about the removal of the Vice Chancellor.

He said that the notification was still not clear from the HRD Ministry on the removal of the Vice Chancellor and therefore they do not accept the fact finding committee.

The MUSU President further said that the fact finding committee is a ‘joke’ to the Manipur University Community.

He questioned that as the members of the fact finding committee are close associates of the Vice Chancellor then how can they enquire the allegations made against the vice chancellor.

Meanwhile, president of the Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur, Salam Akash, while speaking to Northeast Live echoed similar sentiments saying that the DESAM cannot accept the fact finding committee that has been constituted by the HRD Ministry and also added that the general strike might be extended if the central government is unable to reach at a concrete solution.

Besides the MUSU and the DESAM, the Manipur University Teacher’s Association (MUTA) has also expressed its discontentment with the reconstituted Fact Finding Committee.

While speaking exclusively to Northeast Live, MUTA Spokesperson Debananda Singh stated that the centre’s response to the 50-day long agitation is ‘too little and too late’.

He also added that the centre had not initiated any critical engagement with the stakeholders of the movement and did not express any empathy towards the university agitators.

The MUTA spokesperson also said that the centre was trying to beat around the bush as the new circular did not address the core issue of the agitation.

Furthermore, he also said that though on one hand the MUTA does welcome the addition of the retired Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court to the reconstituted fact finding committee, the association is  clearly unhappy with the remaining two members of the committee.

Debananda Singh also stated that another major reason for the rejection of the fact finding committee by the MUTA is that the Registrar-in-charge who has been boycotted by the teachers and student bodies of the university has been appointed as the nodal officer of the committee.

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh urged the students’ communities, MUTA and other civil societies to co-operate with the government in investigating the matter.

He further appealed to the MUSU and other students’ organisations to call off their 48-hour general strike in the wake of the development.

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