Pressure of 'let normalcy return' : Drama of political clout at MU
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 12 2018 -

Remove AP Pandey as the VC of Manipur University. This is the stand of MUSU, MUTA and MUSA.

Let normal class be restored at MU. This is the stand of ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO.

All in Manipur must have understood the background of the ‘remove Pandey’ slogan and the let ‘normal class’ resume at MU stand.

The man central to these two stands, which may appear diametrically opposite to each other, is obviously Adya Prasad Pandey, the man flown in from Benaras Hindu University back in 2016 to take over as VC of MU, when the varsity witnessed a severe stand off between different student bodies over the reservation quota of students at the time of admission.

Fast forward to 2018 and the student bodies which were earlier on either side of the quota divide, still seem divided over the present MU crisis, but this would be missing the woods for the trees.

Take note. The two sides may appear to have adopted differing stands but scratch the surface and it becomes clear that the two sides may be backing each other and piling the pressure on the Central Government to act and let normalcy return to MU.

This is a point which should not be lost in the dust kicked up by the storm at the varsity.

It is but natural that the stand off at the varsity should spill over and affect the lives of the common people and so it was that the hill districts were literally shut down for two days during the 48 hours bandh called by ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO airing the stand ‘let normalcy return to MU.’

In the valley it has been the same for more than 60 days now, with students continuing with their sit-in-protests at different places, with no hints that the strike may be relaxed anytime soon.

What has made things worse is the report that AP Pandey attended a function at St Joseph’s College in Nagaland as part of a team from the UGC some days back.

Representing the UGC at a college function is fine, but remember AP Pandey is on leave and a probe against him has already been initiated.

It may be technically right to attend the function, but was it morally correct ?

These are questions which the teacher in AP Pandey must answer.

It is also more than apparent that the Centre is not ready to listen to the voice of dissent here and remove the VC on the demand of some students and teachers.

This is more than a clear indication of the clout that the man from Varanasi enjoys in the BJP led Government at New Delhi.

This is again another reason why the State Government has not been able to do anything to resolve the issue.

True MU is a Central varsity and the hands of the State Government may be tied, but what about its stand on the matter ?

Doesn’t it matter at all to the political mandarins at New Delhi ?

This may be another reason why the State Government has so far not yet publicly stated whether the demand to remove AP Pandey as the VC of MU is right or wrong.

At the moment if there is an individual who is making all the news in Manipur, it is the man from Varanasi and this is more than enough proof that the greater the political clout a man enjoys, the more the news worthiness of the man in question.

Unfortunate to see the politics of clout playing out in all its glory at a place of learning, MU in this case.