Leaders of All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur speaking to media persons on August 26.
Newmai News Network
Imphal | August 26
The All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) has accused the organizations agitating for the removal of Vice Chancellor of Manipur University, AP Pandey of working with ulterior motives.
The Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU), Manipur University Teachers’ Association (MUTA) and Manipur University Staff’s Association (MUSA) had suspended their agitation few days ago after 85 days of impasse.
Speaking to media persons today at its office in Chingmeirong, Imphal, ATSUM leaders said that MUSU, MUTA and MUSA were agitating for their “vested interests” and nothing else. The ATSUM leaders then demanded that an enquiry should be conducted on the three organizations in this regard.
Producing an alleged confidential agreement paper of MUSU, MUTA and MUSA before the media persons, the apex tribal student body of Manipur said that the agitation was a “well calculated one with ulterior motives.” The alleged ‘confidential’ agreement of the three organizations has a heading, “Agreement to enter into by senior professors before accepting the post of Vice Chancellor-in-charge”.
The paper said that any of the senior professors who are “willing” to accept the post of Vice Chancellor-in-charge of Manipur University in the wake of Professor AP Pandey being sent on leave/suspension consequent upon the demand by the university community for his removal, should “commit to initiate steps in right earnest to clean and reform the general and financial administration systems prevailing in the university”. The alleged confidential paper also read that certain actions should be taken as mandatory by those professors who are willing to replace AP Pandey. It is complete with lists for the “willing” senior professors.
Any of the “willing” professors who once assume the post of Vice Chancellor-in-charge of Manipur University should identify and move along with the “University Community” in the demand for removal of Professor AP Pandey from the Vice Chancellorship of Manipur University, and accordingly, pursue the case in the concerned ministries, it further read.
The paper said that any of the “willing” senior professors on assuming the charge of the Vice Chancellor-in-charge should also remove Professor M Shyamkesho Singh from the post of Registrar-in-charge immediately and appoint a new one to the post. “Professor Syamkesho should also be debarred from holding any position as coordinator/chairman/director or similar position except in his own sponsored research projects,” the alleged confidential paper of MUSU, MUTA and MUSA said.
The organizations then demanded that Dr RK Joteen Singh, Deputy Registrar, should be shifted out immediately from current posting to sections other than General Administration and Examinations immediately on assuming the charge of Vice Chancellor-in-charge.
The paper also said that David K Zote, Joint Registrar should be shifted out immediately from the current posting immediately on assuming the charge of Vice Chancellor-in-charge by any of the “willing” senior professors.
The alleged confidential paper also said that anyone of the senior professors after assuming as the Vice Chancellor-in-charge should re-instate all the deans, who have recently tendered resignation, except the Dean of Environment Sciences and the Dean of Students’ Welfare.
The Deans’ Committee should be dissolved immediately on assuming the charge of Vice Chancellor-in-charge by any of the senior professors “as the committee is non-statutory,” it added.
“At every stage of the inquiry on Professor AP Pandey, the accompaniment of representatives of the constituent units of University Community-MUSA, MUSU and MUTA should be sought,” stated one of the points in the alleged confidential paper.
“The new VC-in-charge would strictly adhere to the University Act, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations while performing duties and there will be no victimization of any of the students and the employees of the University for having participated in the present agitation for removal of Professor AP Pandey,” the paper added.
On this, the ATSUM demanded the concerned authority to enquire on this development.
The tribal student body said that many students’ academic days were lost due to the 85 days impasse of the Manipur University.
