NEHUTA alleges VC of intimidating faculty member

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 13, 2021

The North Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) has alleged the vice chancellor Prof SK Srivastava of intimidating a faculty member and his family members.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NEHUTA said that the incident had taken place on March 30.

“(We) strongly condemn such an untoward move by the VC in the pretext of getting some official works done from the concerned faculty. Conducting an illegal raid like intrusion and trespass in the private space of the faculty has been unprecedented in NEHU history,” it said.

“Not only with officials like Pro-VC and private security, but also with a direct intent to pressurize the concerned faculty to agree to VC’s diktats, the visit after sunset constituted a serious breach of basic norms of university functioning. In continuation with serious statutory violation and vindictive behavior of the VC towards the faculty, the incident of visiting home left deep scars in minor children and women members of the faculty household including the concerned faculty suffering serious trauma and harassment,” it also stated.

Terming it as an act of highhandedness, the NEHUTA said, “That the rule of law does not allow for such an unruly and arbitrary misuse and abuse of power is completely perpetrated by the term-expired VC, who somehow wanted to impose his whimsical wishes on the concerned faculty member. Indeed such a threatening behavior to the faculty and his family members is an act of open violation of the privacy and right to life of the concerned faculty. The NEHUTA expresses its anxiety that if encouraged to act in such a manner, the VC shall further bring the university down in all its academic, administrative and financial matters.”

Stating that the continuation of Prof Srivastava has become a threat to sanity and fairness in the university, the NEHUTA emergent general body meeting held on April 13, unanimously decided to bring this serious matter to the higher authorities and seek immediate action on the errant VC for his misuse of power.