Imphal: Protesters called off the 85-day long agitation at Manipur University today in the interest of students, as stated by Manipur University Students' Union president M Dayaman Singh. Singh further said that Centre had agreed to all the terms.
On August 16 a memorandum of agreement was signed between the students’ union, teachers’ association, staff association, and representatives of the Human Resource Development Ministry and the state government.
The protesters demanded the resignation of Vice Chancellor AP Pandey and even though the university has been reopened, the demand for the removal of the Vice Chancellor is still in progress. The agitators also demanded the constitution of an Independent Enquiry Committee to investigate the allegations of administrative and financial lapses made by the Vice Chancellor.
The 85-day long agitation is formally called off varsity community including Manipur University Students Union (MUSU), Manipur University Teachers’ Association (MUTA) and Manipur University Staff Association (MUSA).
The HRD Ministry on August 21 via the Registrar in-charge Prof M Shamkesho Singh had issued a press release, which said that that the ministry had agreed to all the demands raised by the protesting bodies. Singh said as they have called off the protest, the university authorities can now initiate steps to hold MA exams and declare pending results of final year college students. He, regardless, asserted that their demand for removal of Pandey remains and any effort to reinstate him will not be accepted. The university had been closed since May 31 adding impediment on education for students enrolled in the university.
The protests against Pandey, were also backed by teachers, non-teaching staff, but also several influential civil society groups. During the protest, the agitators locked down the administrative block leading the delay semester examinations indefinitely.
The Vice Chancellor who has now been sent on leave after the constitution of a fact-finding team by the HRD Ministry, had previously said that the allegations made against him by MUSU were ‘false and baseless ’and that he would not resign from his post.
After the agitation is withdrawn in the central university, the academic activities in the state are foreseen to be resumed and this news brings hopes to thousands of students. There are about 90 colleges affiliated with the Manipur Central University.