Meghalaya: NEHU students’ union locks university gates, intensifies protest against VC

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The agitation against North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Vice Chancellor Prof. PS Shukla escalated on Wednesday as members of the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) locked all university gates except Gate No. 2, barring his entry into the campus. The protest, now in its fourth month, continues with students demanding Shukla’s resignation over allegations of mismanagement.

Toniho Kharsati, General Secretary of NEHUSU, reaffirmed the union’s stance, stating, “The students’ union, the NEHUSU, as well as the KSU NEHU Unit, together we have taken a stand that we won’t be allowing Professor PS Shukla, the incumbent Vice Chancellor of NEHU, to step inside this university. As you must know, our agitation is almost entering the fourth month, and our demands have still not been met. Even though we had firm faith in the ministry, believing they would take proactive steps by sending a two-member committee last year, it is disappointing to say that we have not received any conclusive proof from the ministry even to this date.”

Responding to reports that Shukla had rejoined office remotely, Kharsati questioned the legitimacy of such claims, stating, “There was some news in the press whereby Professor Shukla said he has joined the office via online mode. The big question is, how can a person join an office via online mode given the fact that he was on earned leave? These kinds of tactics that Professor PS Shukla is using against our state and our university are really hampering the overall welfare of the student community.”

Despite the ongoing agitation, Kharsati emphasized that the university continues to function normally, with exams proceeding as scheduled. However, he condemned what he termed as “cheap tactics” by the Vice Chancellor, alleging that his actions were not only affecting students but also disrupting the university’s administration.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Education’s response, Kharsati pointed out, “A recent comment from the Minister of State for Education stated that it is not easy to remove a Vice Chancellor just on the demands of students. We find that such statements lack merit because this is not just a student demand—it is the demand of the entire university community, including non-teaching staff, the teachers’ association, and civil society in Meghalaya.”

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