NEHU VC invites agitating students to engage in dialogue for resolution of their demands

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 9, 2024

Vice Chancellor of the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla on Friday called an emergent meeting of the Executive Council to address the primary concerns raised by the North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU).

The meeting was convened in an effort to resolve the issues raised by NEHUSU, which included the removal of the Registrar and Deputy Registrar and the appointment of Pro-Vice-Chancellors for NEHU’s Shillong and Tura campuses.

However, due to disruptions caused by student protests, the Executive Council meeting could not be conducted. This has prevented the University administration from moving forward in addressing the students’ demands.

Accordingly, the VC has appealed to all students to engage in dialogue for resolution of their demands.

The university was brought under total lockdown following the ongoing indefinite hunger strike protest led by the NEHUSU and backed by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU – NEHU Unit) for the past four days against the alleged failure of the Vice Chancellor Prof PS Shukla to terminate the Registrar and Deputy Registrar, whose appointment according to them were “illegal”.

Expressing his concern for the students’ well-being, Prof Shukla shared, “I attempted to engage in discussions with the students directly to address these matters and urged them to end their hunger strike, as I am deeply concerned about the potential impact on their health. However, I was advised by the magistrate to refrain from visiting certain areas due to safety concerns.”

Prof Shukla emphasized his commitment to finding a constructive resolution but noted that without open dialogue, progress remains constrained. He appealed directly to the students through this press release, urging them to end the hunger strike and participate in a meaningful conversation to address the issues at hand.

“I earnestly request the students, through the media, to call off the hunger strike and work with us to find solutions. Without dialogue, my hands are tied,” he added.

The Vice-Chancellor reaffirms his commitment to addressing student concerns in a safe and collaborative manner and hopes that an open dialogue can be resumed at the earliest.

Meanwhile, more and more students, participating in the hunger strike protest have been taken ill to the hospital.

Two more students were hospitalized on Friday, after a hunger strike completed 78 hours. They have been rushed to the Shillong civil hospital.

They are Kevin Nelson, Wanrap Rani, Morningstar Suting and Naphisabet Marweiñ. Yesterday, three were hospitalised of which two have been discharged today.

Altogether, 19 students including leaders of the NEHUSU and KSU are staging the fast protest.