Noting efforts to put MU on track : Stars of the show
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: October 17 2018 -

Stalemate from May 30 and the last word has not been said yet. But the writing on the wall says that everything may soon be settled.

And herein lies the story of Manipur University and the man central to it-AP Pandey-today seems to have been reduced to a nondescript personality.

Till October 10, everything was hazy, with MUTA, MUSU and MUSA saying something while Pro VC Professor K Yugindro stuck to his own line of action, putting four senior Professors of MU under suspension.

Teachers and students languishing in jail while those outside and active on the social media went hammer and tongs on others who they assumed to be playing politics at the varsity, even going to the extent of directly mentioning names.

Wonder how those who went ballistics on the social media will now respond to the changing scenario.

This in short was the story of MU and how those with interests in what went on at the university played their part out on the social media while others just deemed it better to maintain a dignified silence.

Came October 11 and the High Court of Manipur stepped in acting on two PILs filed by two conscientious citizens of the land, one a retired teacher and the other a journalist who also happens to be the Editor of a local newspaper.

And so it is that after the High Court stepped in, things seemed to fall in line with former Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh named as the Administrator who swiftly got down to work and find a way forward.

In short what the elected Government of the day, both at the Centre and the State, could not do in over 130 days, the High Court of Manipur managed to kick start the process of normalising MU in just a matter of 5 days !

The stars of the show obviously are Administrator of MU, Jarnail Singh and the two High Court Judges-Justice N Kotiswar and Justice Kh Nobin.

A look at the reality should tell the story.

After the High Court of Manipur appointed Jarnail Singh as the Administrator of MU with all the powers of a regular VC, suspending the appointments of Prof K Yugindro as the Pro VC, appointments of Shyamkesho and Sh Dorendrajit as Registrars in charge on October 11, the university community rolled out the red carpet for Jarnail Singh when he came to assume office on October 12.

Things then moved swiftly and it is significant to note that Jarnail Singh knew when to open his mouth, best exemplified from the manner in which he openly came out against the act of taking the imprisoned MU teachers in handcuffs from the jail to the hospital on October 13.

This obviously must have gone down well with the MU community and the very decision of Chief Minister of N Biren to take disciplinary action against the police personnel responsible for hand cuffing the MU teachers while taking them to the hospital should tell a very significant story.

Took over on October 12 and convinced Prof K Yugindro to withdraw the FIR which had landed some teachers and students in jail and this is probably the most positive move initiated by Jarnail Singh and the best news that has come out from MU since the stand off at the varsity.

Now that the efforts to put MU on track seems to be going in the right direction, here is hoping that all have learnt a lesson or two on why the doors of MU were flung open for AP Pandey to come over as the VC in the first place.