The hunger strike by eight post-graduate students of the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy (NEIAH), Mawdiangdiang, has entered the sixth day today with no response so far from the authorities.
The students launched an indefinite hunger strike since November 26 demanding clarity on the institute’s affiliation with North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), disbursement of stipends pending for over a year, and the appointment of academic guides crucial to their coursework in accordance with the norms of the National Commission for Homeopathy (NCH).
According to the students, both the director in charge and the deputy director are in Delhi and the institute has been functioning without a full-fledged director since August, when the former director retired.
BJP delegation meets protesting students
A delegation of state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders led cabinet minister Alexander Laloo Hek visited the agitating postgraduate students of North East Institute of Ayurveda and Homeopathy (NEIAH) at their campus.
Before meeting them, the delegation met the officials of the institute, who briefed them on the status of their various grievances, paramount of which is the increase in stipend and affiliation of the PG course with North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU).
Based on the status given by the officials, it was expected that their main grievances would be attended to within 8-10 days.
The delegation then met the agitating postgrad students and undergraduate students who were giving support to them.
The BJP delegation earnestly requested them to temporarily suspend their hunger strike, especially after one of them had been shifted to hospital. The students were assured that the state BJP will take up the matter with the central government.
