The hunger strike by students of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), the northeast’s oldest central university, entered its 13th day on Sunday. The students, under the leadership of the North Eastern Hill University Students Union (NEHUSU), are demanding the removal of Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla and four other senior officials, including Registrar Col Omkar Singh (Retd) and Deputy Registrar Amit Gupta.
Despite Vice Chancellor Shukla taking leave until November 29, the students remain steadfast in their demands. Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Nirmalendu Saha has urged the students to withdraw their hunger strike, which began on November 5.
The influential Mawlai Town Dorbar (MTD), under whose jurisdiction the NEHU campus falls, has firmly opposed the return of Vice Chancellor Shukla to the university. MTD President Herlambok War, after meeting with the striking students, told the media, “We do not want the Vice Chancellor to return to the NEHU campus after his leave. The ongoing agitation, which could harm the health of the students, should not continue because of the incumbent VC. He must be removed from his position at all costs.”
NEHUSU General Secretary Toniho S. Kharsati indicated that the union would consider the MTD’s appeal to end the hunger strike and explore other forms of protest. “We will convene a meeting soon to decide the next course of action,” Kharsati said.
Meghalaya Governor Chandrashekhar H. Vijayashankar, who is also NEHU’s Chief Rector, along with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Education Minister Rakkam A. Sangma, has urged the students to end their protest. The Chief Minister revealed that he had briefed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan about the situation and sought his intervention for an amicable resolution.
The protesting students also reached out to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking her intervention in resolving the crisis.
Before going on leave, Vice Chancellor Shukla repeatedly urged the students to call off their strike and engage in dialogue. He assured them of the formation of an inquiry committee to address their demand for the removal of the Registrar and Deputy Registrar.
However, NEHUSU General Secretary Kharsati expressed dissatisfaction with the VC’s response, stating, “We are not happy with his clarifications. The agitation will continue until our demands are met.”
Kharsati also attributed NEHU’s decline in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), from 80 to 101, to the incompetence of the university’s leadership. He accused the administration of making illegal and inefficient appointments that have hindered academic progress since Shukla’s appointment in 2021.
The students’ protest has gained the support of the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), the Khasi Students Union’s NEHU unit, and the Meghalaya Tribal Teachers’ Association, among others. (With inputs from IANS)
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