Shillong, Nov 14: North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) VC’s move to pacify the agitating students by appointing two local tribal teachers as Pro VCs has not gone down well with them as they continue to stage their indefinite hunger strike, which entered the 10th day on Thursday.

VC Shukla appointed Prof. Sherwin May Sungoh from the Department of Education as the Pro VC for the Shillong Campus, while Prof. Fameline K. Marak from the Department of Garo was appointed Pro VC for the Tura campus on Wednesday night. Although their appointments are pending approval from the Executive Council (EC), the VC said it is merely a formality and their appointments are more or less final.

However, agitating students under the banner of North Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and backed by the Khasi Students Union (KSU – NEHU Unit) and the North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) have rejected these appointments by the VC citing technical reasons that deviate from the rules, and are firm in their demand for his removal from the post of Vice Chancellor (VC).

The students have been on indefinite hunger strike since November 5 and have locked the campus since November 6, severely restricting entry and exit of people into the university campus. The students have been demanding the resignation of the VC and termination of services of the Registrar and Deputy Registrar for the ‘mismanagement’ of the administration and their ‘incompetency’.

NEHUSU general secretary Toniho Kharsati said, “We do not welcome the decision that is being taken by the VC for the matter of fact we condemn the decision of the VC saying appointing Pro Vice Chancellors in both the campuses of Shillong and Tura.”

“Let me put the record straight that we have started this indefinite hunger strike on one basic demand that is the removal of the VC. We were eagerly waiting for the response from the VC as we have seen that even the CM had stated that by evening we will get a favourable response. This response instead of the VC leaving the campus and him appointing the Pro Vice Chancellors is something which the students’ union doesn’t accept at all. We will boycott this decision,” he stated on Wednesday night.

The student leader also expressed reservation against notification issued by the Assistant Registrar (Planning) and said it should have been issued by the Joint Registrar (Establishment).

“Therefore, this act of the VC in taking a decision (while) staying outside the university and not following the rules is something which the students’ union heavily condemn and we do not see any merit in such decision and we boycott the decision of the VC,” he added.

Meanwhile, NEHUTA president Prof. Lakhon Kma said they have ‘junked’ these appointments by the VC since he is ‘absconding’ from the campus and trying to ‘remotely control’ the university, calling his actions ‘illegitimate’ and ‘unacceptable’.

“Even when he’s not in the station, he’s trying to conduct online (meetings and passing orders) which is totally illegitimate and he’s trying to make up all sorts of stories, but the fact remains that he is almost like a ‘persona non grata’ for us, and hence any action that he has taken after running from the campus is totally unacceptable to us and we are debunking or junking all those decisions he has taken,” he said.

“This appointment should be thrown to the dustbin,” he further said and explained that the notification itself is wrong. “This notification comes from an AR (Planning). Who is sitting where we don’t know because this is supposed to come from the establishment (section), if at all it has to come,” he informed.

All eyes of Prof Sungoh and Prof. Marak

A major dimension added to this protest are the appointments of Prof. Sherwin May Sungoh and Prof. Fameline K. Marak. Hub News tried to reach out to the two professors for their opinion on the appointments, but were unsuccessful.

Nonetheless, Prof. Kma believes both these professors will not accept the offer of the VC. “I’m sure these two respectable professors, professor Marak and professor Sungoh, will not play puppet in his hands,” he said.

At the same time, he also appealed to the two professors to keep the interests of the students in mind and reject the offer of Pro VC.

“This is the appeal to (the professors) because they are members of NEHUTA and they are also members of MeTTA (Meghalaya Tribal Teachers’ Association), I guess they will keep the interest of the student in front, not backstabbing them. Because anybody who is accepting these kind of posts now, particularly from this Vice Chancellor, will tantamount to backstabbing. And I think as teachers we are not supposed to backstep our students, rest lies on their wisdom.”

Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.

Also, Follow us on-

Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub

Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020

Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub

Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub