AAU students boycott classes, protest enquiry against VC

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, April 22: Hundreds of students of the Assam Agricultural University (AAU) came out in large numbers despite torrential rain and protested in front of the University entrance gate in Jorhat on Wednesday against Assam Governor Padmabha Balakrish Acharya’s decision to constitute a committee of enquiry against the present AAU Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr KM Bujarbaruah.

The protesting students boycotted classes and brought University activity to a halt and shouted slogans like ‘No Justice No Rest and No Withdraw of Enquiry No Rest’ against what they alleged was a coveted design of a few from among the University fraternity in nexus with a political party to try to oust the present VC for his continuous and relentless development work of the University, besides creating an ambience for studies in the University devoid of politics as found in other universities.

The VC as such had become a problem for those wanting to indulge in corruption in various construction works, admission process, allotments and procurements.

The students also submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister rendra Modi seeking his immediate intervention. In the letter signed by the Vice President, Faculty of Agriculture, Syed

Wasifur Rahman, general secretary Bhoirab Gogoi, vice-president, Faculty of Veteriry Science, Khapara, Utpal Barman, general secretary Prabhat Baruah and a host of others, it was stated that VC Dr KM Bujarbaruah had apparently become a victim of a few conspirators whose only target was to somehow oust the VC from his chair. Notably the VC had transformed the University in the last five years in the way PM Modi had done to Gujarat.

The same allegations had been leveled by the same conspirators from time-to-time and had also been looked upon by the earlier Governor JB Patik who closed the files following no evidence. Incidentally, the Chair of the Governor also happens to be the Chancellor of the University.

The letter also categorically stated that the enquiry now set up was in violation of the University Act and alleged that the present Governor never visited the University nor tried to look at the allegation from the students’ point of view. Further the enquiry had demoralized the students who had in the last five years only concentrated on their studies.

Towards noon the strike spread to other parts of the State with support coming in from students of the College of Veteriry Science, Khapara in Guwahati, Raha in gaon, Bishwath Chariali and others. The protesting students were also joined by the teachers’ community of the University besides non- teaching office staff of various branches.