MUSU warns Govt, rebuffs VC's clarification
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 08 2018:
Manipur University Students Union (MUSU) has condemned the State Government for keeping mum on the current imbroglio at Manipur University and has warned the Government not to forget that MUSU and the students community may be forced to topple the leaders from their seat of power if they decide to keep neglecting the issue.
A press release issued by MUSU stated that the people of Manipur and the State Government have become so much dependent on mainland India and the Central Government that they believe the State will starve if food and resources are not imported into Manipur.
Claiming that there is a growing sign of cultural hegemony in the region, MUSU accused the Central Government of interfering in the educational sector to sway the people.
Alleging the BJP Government of attempting to saffronise the universities of the country by establishing Yoga Department in many of the universities, MUSU conj veyed that a similar pattern is being witnessed in Manipur University where its VC Professor Adya Prasad Pandey has transformed the court hall into his Yoga platform.
It stated that MUSU and the people of the State do not take the university issue lightly but the most unfortunate turn of event is the apparent lack of any form of support or interest by the State Government.
If the State Government continues to neglect the imbroglio at the university, MUSU and the students community will be forced to take up necessary actions, it warned.
On the other hand, MUSU mentioned that the VC has indirectly accepted all the charges levelled against him.
It informed that the VC Professor Adya Prasad Pandey tried to shield himself by imprudently empowering himself with a caveat that he is not answerable to any kind of unfounded and untrue allegations while trying to deny the charges levelled against him.
MUSU claimed that the VC's deliberate attempts to mislead the public with half-concealed truths and with half-baked logic will only help in further strengthening the charges against him.
Rebuffing the clarification made by the VC, MUSU explained that no one objects to his visits outside Manipur as one is always entitled to such leave but what is a disgrace to the office of VC is his flouting the rules for taking proper leave with open ended leave chit (not even an application) and handing the charge to the senior most teacher of the University even if the senior most teacher is out of station with due leave of absence.
The expenditures incurred on such visits are very well avoidable wastage of public money and the wealth of University.
MUSU alleged that the VC has not been able to hold a single convocation since his joining the University.
Pointing out that two wrongs will never make a right MUSU conveyed that even if past VCs have committed some mistakes, it is not right for the present VC to follow suit.
The VC's own acceptance of having made monetary donations makes him guilty of the charges levelled against him, it added.
It questioned what or which constitutes a higher authority above the VC and why he outsourced the tendering process for smart classes construction to ITI Ltd and not the concerned body of the University.
The technology for inclusion of the security features, OMR, etc are not so technically high that it needed to be purchased from a lesser known firm situated outside the State, MUSU reasoned and questioned why the VC does not want to trust the men and technology of Manipur.
It further alleged that despite his tall claims and half-baked justifications, the advertised posts for officials of the university remain unfilled not to mention the new posts for the new Departments.
MUSU stated that the justification that the number of contract employees appointed by the VC in less man two years is much less than what was done during his predecessors period (in more than six years time) is very childish and akin to juvenile justification.
Working late in office is not a crime but coming late, after 12 noon and staying late hours in the office with objectionable activities similar to that of a night club is strongly condemnable and is definitely unpardonable and against the culture of the university, MUSU alleged.
It further claimed that the VC is hot aware of the problems faced by the students in getting their original certificates or other documents due to his long absence from the University When he first joined the University, it was graded as A but after his joining Manipur University it could not find a place in among the top 100 universities in the country, it added.
MUSU asked if the frisking of a student by the VC's Y-category security with utter disrespect while entering his office is not a physical or psychological threat.
Is it a tactical strategy to justify upgrading his Y-category to Z-plus category by sending reports to Home Ministry that the students are agents of anti-social elements, it asked and added that according to MUSU, Professor Adya Prasad Pandey is undoubtedly the bigger threat to the existence of University and its reputation.
Claiming that the charges levelled against the VC are factually and irrefutably true justifying his immediate removal from the post of the Vice Chancellor of Manipur University, MUSU, said that his public clarifications further proved that he has committed a series of lapses and misadventure that have compromised the reputation of the university and as such demanded his immediate removal from the position.
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