Manipur University row: Student union strike hits normal life

The two-day state-wide general strike called by the Manipur University Student's Union (MUSU) demanding removal of Vice Chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey today disrupted normal life with vehicular movement being blocked and business establishments and markets remaining shut.

The strike, which began around midnight, is being supported by several other student bodies, including the All Manipur Student's Union, Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur, Manipur Students Federation and Manipur People's Party.

A large number of MUSU members came out on the streets of Canchipur area where the university campus is located, and put up bamboo barricades on the roads, the police said.

Some of the agitators were seen burning tyres on the road as a mark of protest in Kongpal and Thangmeiband areas, close to Manipur assembly complex, they said.

In Jiribam district, the protesters vandalized a car for "defying" the bandh call, the police said.

All inter-state, inter-district bus, taxi and auto-rickshaw services were withdrawn and business establishments including markets, hotels and malls were closed, they said.

Educational institutions, schools and colleges also remained shut.

Large contingents of security personnel have been deployed since yesterday at Keisampat, Thangmeiband, Singjamei and other localities in the state capital, including the 'high-security' zone, they said.

At the Governor's House, guarded by CRPF personnel, barricades have been set up at the gates and police commandos posted to avoid "untoward"situation.

Academic activity at the central university has remained suspended for the past 49 days as teachers, students and staff associations are demanding the removal of Pandey over alleged financial irregularities and administrative negligence.

MUSU office bearer S Anish told PTI that the union will not accept the reconstituted fact-finding committee of the HRD Ministry as the main objective of the agitation is "removal of the VC in the first place to be followed by an investigation into the charges of financial irregularities and administrative ineptitude".

"We do not have faith in the HRD ministry panel. There would be no going back on our demand for an independent probe into the allegations," he said.

Acknowledging the inconvenience being faced by the people due to the agitation, Anish said the MUSU has been "forced to impose it" to save the careers of thousands of students.

Echoing similar sentiments, the Manipur University Teachers Association has said that neither will it cooperate with the committee nor allow any investigating official to enter the varsity campus.

An official release issued last night said that a retired chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court will be head the fact-finding committee, along with a UGC representative and an HRD Ministry representative.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh welcomed the HRD ministry's decision and appealed to the students and teachers to call off their agitation.

"We have taken a note of the grievances of both students and teachers," the chief minister said yesterday, adding that the state cabinet suggested sending vice-chancellor Pandey "on leave" during the enquiry.