The hunger strike being staged by the North Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) NEHU Unit to demand the resignation of vice chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla entered its 15th day today.
Many of the protesting students after more than a fortnight of agitation have been hospitalised after their conditions deteriorated.
Today, Ruksar Biya Khonglam, assistant hostel secretary of KSU NEHU unit was taken to Shillong Civil Hospital due to physical weakness.
Yesterday, KSU NEHU Unit general secretary Kevin Nelson Wanrap Rani was transported to the Civil Hospital after experiencing breathing difficulty.
Doctors had to administer oxygen to Rani to stabilise and ease his breathing.
The KSU NEHU unit has appealed to all students of the university to continue participating in this movement until all demands are fulfilled.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Donald Philips Wahlang and Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang accompanied by East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Rosetta Mary Kurbah today visited the protesting students.
Speaking to media persons, Wahlang said that he visited the students with the specific objective to urge them to suspend their agitation pending the completion of the inquiry.
He also said that he and Nongrang came to the protest venue on behalf of the State government.
It may be mentioned that the Ministry of Education has constituted a committee to inquire into the alleged mismanagement and administrative failures within NEHU.
“I told them why they should suspend their agitation and I am confident and hope that they will sit together and will suspend their agitation,” Wahlang said.
Meanwhile Education Minister Rakkam Sangma today expressed concern over the ongoing protest, specifically the health and academic wellbeing of the hunger-striking students.
Urging students to call off their protest, Sangma said, “I appeal to them to call off their protest. The Chief Minister is in constant touch with the Union Ministry (of Education) and a committee has been constituted to look into the matter. The government is concerned about the issue. I’m not sure about the exact issue within the university because it is not in our control.”
NEHU is a central government university and is thus not overseen by the state government.
Sangma said that the central government has constituted a fact-finding team to look into the details of the student demands.
The minister also intends to meet with the hunger-striking students who have been admitted to hospital due to their deteriorating health.
