NEHU crisis deepens: Students burn effigies of VC, Registrar; to continue protest until demands met

Shillong, Nov 7: The students of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong intensified their protest on Thursday by burning effigies of Vice Chancellor Prof. PS Shukla, the Registrar, Deputy Registrar (Academics), Officer on Special Duty (Director, College Development Council), and the Guest House In-charge.

These effigies were set aflame within the Administrative Block premises, witnessed by NEHU students from across the Shillong campus. Earlier in the morning, the students enforced a full lockdown, shutting down the university.

To ensure complete closure, students locked all campus gates, from Gate 2 to Gate 5, effectively blocking access. During the protest, members of the KSU-NEHU Unit and several NEHU Students Union (NEHUSU) members on an indefinite hunger strike received medical aid, with some given IV drips by healthcare workers.

The NEHU Shillong campus remained closed for the second consecutive day as students, under NEHUSU and supported by the KSU-NEHU Unit, continued their hunger strike and university lockdown.

In an attempt to address the situation, the Vice Chancellor came out to meet with the students but was met with a heated exchange. “We do not accept your justification in the media. We want you to immediately resign from the post of VC,” said the protesting students.

NEHUSU general secretary, Toniho Kharsati, said they are determined to continue with the agitation till their demands are achieved. “If the VC doesn’t take action promptly then I think we don’t need him. We have started this indefinite hunger strike with a note that he shall resign. We are not stepping back with our demands. We will continue this hunger strike till the VC steps down,” he said while adding “It (agitation) is also a clear message to the administration and to the government of India whether it is us or him?”

“As you have seen how adamant he is, we don’t know how long we will be able to sit here but as long as our mental and physical health is supporting us, we will be sitting for the sake of the students and at the same time we request you to continue to support us. Let’s give a direct message to the government of India that the university is for the students,” he further said.

Taking a jibe at the VC’s decision to address a press conference on the issue, the student leader said it was just an exercise to save his reputation while the university is burning and students are on a hunger strike.

“Even after giving so much time for almost 50 hours, what is the outcome? He (VC) will not terminate illegal appointments and incompetent people instead he is asking us 10 more days to appoint Pro Vice Chancellors. This is a kind of indirect message that for next ten days you starve and I will take action later on and he counted holidays in between. He is not thinking about our future, our health and well being. Do we really need this kind of administrator in our university?” he asked.

“Despite knowing the students were not satisfied with his response, this person is going for book fair, attending all sorts of programmes as if nothing is happening in our institute. This kind of attitude we do not respect, we do not accept. Let him not treat us as mere students. We also have an equal amount of rights,” the student leader stated.

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