After HRD order, Manipur University may temporarily suspend strike

The Manipur University community is likely to “temporarily suspend” its shutdown strike, which has paralysed the functioning of more than 80 colleges affiliated with it for over two months, after the ministry of human resource development (HRD) issues the necessary order, as per the memorandum of agreement (MoA) signed among the community, the HRD and the state, sources said Friday.

“The ongoing agitation shall be temporarily suspended after the issuance of official orders, as per the mutually reached understanding, in the interest of the public in general and the students...,” reads the MoA, signed at the end of the three-day meet.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU), the Manipur University Staffs’ Association (MUSA) and the Manipur University Teachers’ Association (MUTA) on one side and GC Hosur, joint secretary, HRD, on the other, in the presence of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, among others.

The MUSU had launched an indefinite shutdown on May 30, demanding the ouster of vice-chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey, accusing him of financial and administrative irregularities, which the latter has denied.

As per the MoA, the three-member Fact Finding Committee will be reconstituted as an ‘Independent Two Member Enquiry Committee’, led by former acting chief justice, High Court of Meghalaya, T Nandakumar Singh. It also agreed that Pandey will be on leave during the period of inquiry and until follow up action is taken, preferably within a period of 15 days.