Student bodies to stage indefinite sit-in demo every day
Shillong, Dec 3: In a major breakthrough in efforts towards ending the deadlock in North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), the classes are set to resume from Tuesday after being stalled for nearly a month by protesters.
The protesters led NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) NEHU unit on Monday decided to allow the classes from December 3.
However, they will stage an indefinite two-hour sit-in demonstration till fulfilment of their demand for removal of incumbent vice-chancellor Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla from the post.
Speaking to media persons, NEHUSU general secretary Toniho Kharsati said, “It is going to be almost a month that we have not had any physical classes in the university. Keeping in mind the future of the students, NEHUSU and KSU have decided to allow resumption of the classes from December 3.”
“Our main demand is removal of the VC,” he asserted adding that the student bodies had requested the VC in-charge N Saha to convene an emergent meeting to discuss academic calendar and ensure smooth functioning of the university,” he said.
Warning of “extreme measures” if Prof Shukla makes more attempt to enter the university, Kharsati said, “However, if we find any kind of communication from the VC side that he is trying to get into the university, the students’ union rise and again take extreme measures of not allowing him entering into our university.”
The two student bodies have decided to intensify their protest by staging a sit-in demonstration till the incumbent VC is ousted from the university.
“We want to send a message to the public at large that this movement is still alive and we are keeping it alive by holding a sit-in-demonstration from 3 pm till 5 pm every day.
We want to show that until and unless the VC is being removed we will not stop our agitation. However, we will keep this agitation as much as possible peaceful,” Kharsati stated.
Earlier, the student leader informed that they were monitoring the situation following the Prof Shukla’s decision to resume office on Monday.
“But we are firm with our stance that we will not allow the incumbent VC to step foot in this university again,” he added.
Meanwhile, the deadline for submitting report by the two-member committee appointed to probe into the alleged mismanagement and administrative failures within NEHU has been extended by 15 days.
Earlier, the agitating students had staged an indefinite hunger strike which lasted 16 long days and was later temporarily suspended after many of them were hospitalised.
