MU crisis grabbing limelight : Centre must act fast
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 25 2018 -

MUSU sticks to its guns, insists on VC’s dismissal.

MUSU lays down stand to MHRD Joint Secretary. MUSU declines CM’s invitation for talks.

These are the headlines of the lead story carried by The Sangai Express in the last three days and if things do not improve then such headlines may continue to grab the limelight.

Other than these headlines, there have been other stories, all related to the ongoing agitation launched by MUSU on the demand that the VC be dismissed. Of interest is certainly the report carried in some evening dailies that the VC allegedly sent a report to the PMO and the Union HRD Ministry alleging that MUSU functionaries are connected with insurgent groups.

The other was the reaction of ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO to the alleged threats and intimidations to students who do not participate in the ongoing agitation launched by MUSU.

All disturbing trends and if the issue is not resolved soon, then it may morphed from a stand off between MUSU and the VC to a confrontation between different student organisations.

No one would want this and one just has to recollect the stormy days that besieged MU on the admission quota of the ST and SC students some years back.

It was in fact the stand off on this issue that brought the present VC, Professor AP Pandey to MU, as the VCs-in-charge before him resigned in quick succession following the intense pressure on them.

The question is, will this mean that MU is now back to square one again or will there be a solution to the impasse and normal classes resume again ?

Tough to say when such a situation will come, but it is important to note that the Centre has already deputed an officer from the HRD Ministry to take stock of the situation here.

Not present at the place of posting is one prime allegation raised by MUSU against the VC.

This is not a simple allegation and hence the need to take this seriously and see how far this is true.

Not something tough to determine, the only point being whether there is any sincere attempt to look into the allegations raised by the student body.

And here it becomes important to note that Professor AP Pandey was sent as a trouble shooter when MU was paralysed by a stand off over the seat reservation issue some time back.

This in effect means that he is a man picked by the Centre for remember MU is today a Central University.

All the more reason why the Centre needs to intervene and given this reality the importance of the visit of the Joint Secretary from the MHRD should not be lost.

What however is yet unclear is what the inputs of the Joint Secretary will be and how the Centre will act on it.

As things stand today, if what the evening newspapers had reported is true, then the crisis at MU can only get more critical.

Moreover it is also important to note the tendency amongst student bodies to be divided on issues and with ATSUM, ANSAM and KSO issuing a joint statement against the alleged strong arm tactics used by MUSU, here is another angle that must worry the authority concerned.

Time for the Centre to seriously look into the matter and not wait for things to get uglier.