An erstwhile nation, which the British Empire had to face strong resistance from the sons of the soil to conquer it, where women folk raise war against injustice, now has come down to a level where one man can control the government and put all the people in a frying pan by inciting divisive policy.
The voice of the 25 member strong delegation that too led by the Chief Minister is not a concern for their leaders at the centre, but what is more important is to save the one person who can upside down the whole state in one stroke.
For over 2 months academic activities of higher studies in Manipur has been put to a grinding halt. Yesterday, witnessed police firing tear gas inside the Manipur University complex causing injury to six students. Perhaps for the first time the state witnessed a well organised rally against the Manipur University community who are demanding removal of VC AP Pandey in front of the Manipur University where the district administration imposed prohibitions under section 2 of CrPC 144. What is more surprising the indirect support of the police force to the Anti-MU Community rally, which was being organised by an unseen force.
On August 3, a peace rally of eminent politicians to show solidarity to the MU Community was prevented by the police after the district administration of Imphal West imposed prohibitions of any rally or gathering under section 2 of the CrPC 144 in and around the University area from 1 pm of the day. On that midnight a police team dismantle the makeshift platform in front of the University gate for staging democratic protest by the MU community. Following that the relay hunger strike protest had been shifted inside the Manipur University.
On August 5, High Power Ministerial team led by the Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar had appealed the MU Community to reinstate normalcy in the Manipur University saying that the incumbent Vice Chancellor Prof. A.P. Pandey has been put on leave for 30 days and have appointed the senior most Professor W. Vishwanath as Vice Chancellor (in-charge) of the University. He further said that bringing normalcy in the Campus is important to facilitate the Fact Finding Committee to enquire and in discharging their duties in a free and fair manner. The committee instituted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) is headed by Retired Acting Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court, Justice Nandakumar.
The nature of 30 days leave given to Prof. AP Pandey seems like not associated with the present crisis in Manipur University as the VC is reported to be inspecting college in Kohima representing as a Chairman of a UGC committee. The team led by Prof. AP Pandey from University Grants Commission (UGC) completed their inspection of St. Joseph’s College (SJC), Jakhama on August 6.
On one hand the fact finding committee constituted by the MHRD consist of a JK Tripathi Joint Secretary of the UGC and another from the MHRD. How could a VC which an enquiry committee consisting of representative from UGC is conducting investigation, be appointed as the Chairperson of a Committee of the UCG. Above all it is now open secrete that the so called Fact finding committee is not formed under any act of the constitution of India, which means that it is rather a departmental enquiry committee.
The inclusion of a retired High Court Judge is also more like considering the people of Manipur ‘a fool’ and humiliation of Judiciary. This is being stated as Retired High Court Judge are highly regarded and any committee headed by a retired judge should be independent and should have power summon any persons in need. It is not clear whether the retired Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court HNK Singh had accepted to head the departmental type enquiry committee or not . But accepting it would mean a three step down of his professional integrity.
The spirit of Manipuri who once had the courage even to fight the mighty British empire seems to lost today as one person is enough to boil the state.
