Manipur University agitation: Protests to be temporarily suspended from tomorrow as stakeholders reach agreement

Imphal: The 75-day long agitation at Manipur University will be temporarily suspended from Friday after the stakeholders reached a mutual agreement on Thursday. The students of the university have been demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor AP Pandey and constitution of an Independent Enquiry Committee to look into the allegations of administrative and financial lapses made by the V-C. The decision to temporarily suspend the agitation was made Thursday following rounds of talk held consecutively from 14 August, according to a copy of the memorandum made available to the media. [caption id=“attachment_4979721” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Students and staff union groups at the Manipur University have been demanding the ouster of Vice-Chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey. Image courtesy: manipuruniv.ac.in[/caption] The memorandum, signed by Joint Secretary GC Hosur of the Union HRD Ministry, Commissioner (Higher and Technical Education) Government of Manipur and leaders of the agitating bodies, stated that there will be “temporary suspension” after issuance of the official orders. The agitation, that began on 30 May, is being spearheaded by the University Community functioning under the aegis of Manipur University Students Union, Manipur University Teachers Association and Manipur University Staffs’ Association. The agitation had affected the academic activities in the Central varsity as well as stopped the declaration of the exam results of the final year college students. Chief Minister N Biren Singh had Wednesday promised that the impasse will be over within 2-3 days. As per the memorandum, the fact finding committee will be reconstituted as an independent 2-member enquiry committee chaired by former acting chief justice of Meghalaya High Court T Nandakumar Singh. Earlier, the University Community had remained adamant that they would not accept the fact finding committee which was constituted by the HRD ministry on 12 July and later reconstituted on 16 July. The agitating bodies did not approve the two officials included in the committee saying that one of the member was a close associate of the V-C AP Pandey. They also had declared they will not allow any member of the committee enter the university. According to the agreement Thursday, the two official members in the existing fact finding committee will be replaced by a retired vice chancellor of a university mutually acceptable to all the stakeholders and that the order of reconstituting the independent committee shall be issued on 17 August. The memorandum further informed that “during the period of enquiry and until follow up action was taken on the inquiry report by the competent authority,” Prof AP Pandey shall be on leave. It was also agreed that the copies of the report will be made available to the University Community and that the Registrar shall be the nodal officer for the enquiry committee.