IMPHAL, August 7: “Revocation of The Central Education Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Act, 2012 is out of my hand as it was approved and implemented by the President of India,” clarified Manipur University vice chancellor H Nandakumar Sarma.
He said it can only be revoked by the Supreme Court of India and added as for him, he can only wait and hope for the situation to subside.
The VC has been under much fire from both the university students and the Manipur University Teachers’ Association after the university registrar Prof N Lokendro issued a notice asking the hostellers to vacate their hostels immediately and all classes were suspended.
Sources believe that the notification was a direct fallout of the contentious The Central Education Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Act, 2012 which has been opposed by a group of students while another group has been demanding its immediate implementation in the university.
During an exclusive interview with this IFP reporter today, the VC said he had himself come to know of the Amendment Act only on July 17, while he was in New Delhi to discuss increase in fund for OBC students of the State with the UGC.
It may be mentioned that the Amendment Act was already approved by the President of India in 2012 and, the Manipur University authority decided to implement it only from this ongoing admission session.
He said the notification asking students to vacate their hostel rooms and suspension of classes were taken up only to ensure “peace and tranquillity” is maintained in the university campus.
Although, classes cannot remain suspended for long, the university will be open only when the situation over the reservation issue settles, the VC asserted.
Altogether 711 hostellers including girls had vacated their hostels during a short notice.
Majority of the students have already left for their homes, however, many still remain outside the university gates taking shelter in a community hall seeking “justice” against what they call “unreasonable order” to vacate their hostels.
Many of those who have stayed behind are from the far flung areas.
Meanwhile, Manipur University Students’ Union Revival Demand Committee supported by the students of the university protested in front of the university’s main gate.
The students were seeking revocation of The Central Education Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Act, 2012.
The protest turned ugly after their attempt to storm into the university campus was foiled by State security forces using mock bombs.
Five students including three girls were in injured in the police action, MUSU RDC convenor Th Suresh told IFP over the phone.
He said the university authorities are inviting the students wrath with its uncalled for order to suspend all classes.
The teachers are meaningless in the absence of their students, he said demanding that the entire university including the office of VC should be close if the university is to be closed.
He further appealed to the higher authorities of the university to check the present situation in the university, saying that the ordeal is creating a fear psychosis amongst the students.
Meanwhile, the Manipur University Teachers’ Association has called an emergency general body meeting on August 8, 2014 at 1pm in the Old Senate hall, Department of Earth Sciences, in view of the present situation in Manipur University, said a press release of the association.