Protestors put flowers on a coffin meant to symbolize the ‘death of meritocracy’ in the state during the CTAN and NNQF protest in Kohima on April 24.
CTAN warns against ‘delay tactics’ by government committee
Morung Express News
Kohima | April 24
As the CTAN and NNQF protest entered its fourth day on April 24, and as a symbol of dissent, black-clad aspirants carried a coffin, marking what they called a ‘memorial service for meritocracy.’
Hundreds of aspirants gathered outside the Directorate of Higher Education rejecting the Cabinet decision taken on April 21 to keep in abeyance the regularisation of assistant professors and librarians by shouting slogans.
The Cabinet has also decided to set up a Committee to study the issue and submit it's recommendations in 7-8 weeks time.
Speaking at a protest, N Bangyoh Naam, President of Konyak Students' Union Kohima (KSUK), expressing his distrust in the state leadership, said “I fear not bullets or demons, but our leaders.” In his solidarity speech, Naam said that he is speaking as a concerned individual of the issue.
Naam expressed disagreement with the Higher Education Minister, saying the Minister had “made a huge mistake playing with sentiments of students.” “Konyak students never demanded for contractual teachers at Wangkhao College in Mon district” and that their intention was simply to share their concerns about the students' welfare, he said. In this regard, he asked the Minister to resign on moral grounds.
Earlier in the day, CTAN and NNQF representatives met with the Chief Secretary, who reiterated the regularization has been put “in abeyance” following the protest called by the aspirants.
Meshenlo Kath, Convener of the CTAN maintained that temporary posts must remain temporary and should be sent to the NPSC for open recruitment. He expressed skepticism over the Cabinet-formed committee as 'delay tactics' cautioning that delays could escalate the crisis.
He also informed that the Minister for Higher Education has invited them for dialogue, however, added that in case of unsatisfactory outcome of the meeting, “we may have no choice but to revoke the agreement.”
