HC acted in good faith for MU

Free Thinker *

All the right thinking citizens must be happy that the Hon’ble High Court has acted bona fide to save our students from becoming desperadoes and also for saving the Manipur University from becoming a deserted place. I am not very sure whether the verdict is well-grounded legally and constitutionally.

Legists may consider the ruling as a part of judicial activism. But one must understand the fact that desperate situation requires unusual solutions.

The Hon’ble Court had given enough time to all the stake holders to find a way out in restoring normalcy in the University. It didn’t happen. Rather the situation aggravated after a twinkling semblance of normalcy. We cannot wait for Godot till eternity.

One has to act decisively to save the situation. It is all about the career of thousands students who are the future pillars of the State.

The University remained almost defunct for more than 100 days. The fate of more than 60 thousands is at stake. In a semester of six months, classes were not held for more than 3 months. Many students and few Profs are still behind bars. There is utter confusion all around and nobody knows who is running the University. The students, the teaching community and the staff are in complete coma.

The newly appointed Administrator of the Manipur University Shri Jarnail Singh is a well known bureaucrat who joined the IAS in 1974 (MT cadre). Now MT (Manipur/Tripura) cadre is separated as Manipur cadre and Tripura cadre. He came to Manipur as a young officer and happily became a part of our society.

Out of his total service of 35 odd years he served for about 20 years in Manipur and 13 years with the Federal Government. For 2 years he studied Public Administration in John F Kennedy School of Harvard University. He was also once conferred the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration.

He has great administrative acumen and extensive experience. He worked in the PMO for about 8 years. And he remained the Chief Secretary of Manipur for nearly 4 years. Those who had worked with him say that Mr. Singh is very straightforward and very helpful by nature.

He is known as a man of action and not afraid of taking decisions. Above all he has a soft corner for the State may be because of our sister Seraphina. Most importantly he cares for the people of Manipur.

Though I didn’t have the opportunity to study in Manipur University I have a special connection with it. I used to come and read in the University library for months together. I made many friends during those days. Now a good number of them are now part of the teaching faculty. Few are crazy like me, some are sober but all of them are really good in their respective fields.

I strongly believe that our university has enough talent to make it shine; but the tragedy is we never work in unison – probably we all believe in one man show. If we work sincerely in tandem we can certainly make the University one of the best in the country if not in the world. Let us try, it is doable.

One of the Professors asked my daughter (when she was 6/7 years old) whether she knows her mother tongue; she replied in affirmative; then the Prof continued whether she has learnt to quarrel in her native language; she said, she normally does that with her mother; then the Prof further asked her whether she has learnt all Manipuri slangs and bad words to use during a verbal quarrel; she was stunned by the Prof, my daughter looked at me and did not reply; the Prof continued, I will teach you 2/3 now and later you can learn more from your father.

This Prof is a well known opinion maker. When I supported OBC, he opposed it; I support ST, he opposes it, still we are great friends. Today the fundamental issue is – perhaps we have forgotten to tolerate one another within and without the Campus.

Who becomes what and who gets what is not important. Who is who is also not important?

The most important thing is the future of our students and our own future. We have already wasted more than 100 days of an academic year. What a great lost! Let us not blame others; we all are equally responsible for this unwanted mess. Now let us allow the administrator to function and have some patience.

First, free the students/staff/Profs from FIRs. Second, immediately restore physical and psychological freedom to all concerned. Third, free the Campus from fear. Fourth, act honestly & transparently with complete neutrality. Fifth, let the Inquiry be completed.

Wish the Federal Court give us ample time till we redeem complete normalcy (SLP if any). These are my wishful thinking which may also be treated as unsolicited advice to the Administrator, who is our beloved brother-in-law.