The Joint Action Committee (JAC), which comprises teaching and non-teaching staff as well as students of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), intensified their ongoing agitation by calling an indefinite strike today.
“It was 100 per cent successful today. No classes were held and no tests conducted by any department and also there was no administrative work. We have full support of all constituents of JAC,” chairman Prof Lakhon Kma said.
“The Vice Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla said that he wants to talk to us but he himself is not here and has apparently taken leave,” he told reporters.
The JAC chairman said that Shukla has taken leave from November 9 to 15 and “his whereabouts is not known.”
According to him the Vice Chancellor does not understand the situation and his job is to be present in the university and solve the issues taken up by the JAC.
Kma said that the JAC will review the situation on a daily basis and as of today the indefinite strike will go on.
The JAC chairman said that now the ball is in the Vice Chancellor’s court to solve the present imbroglio even as he added that he understands the inconveniences faced by all but according to him this will be temporary and in the long run it will be in the interest of all stakeholders of the university.
According to him Shukla is speaking only in the media and not taking the matter seriously. “If he is not here with whom are we supposed to hold a dialogue with?” Kma questioned.
The JAC chairman also alleged that Prof Shukla is not taking up his job seriously and it seems he is here only to enjoy the facilities provided to a Vice Chancellor.
Kma reiterated that dialogue between the JAC and the Vice Chancellor can only take place if he terminates the appointment of Rohit Prasad as the Technical Officer Senior Consultant of NEHU.
According to him the JAC’s list of demands are long and he acknowledged the fact that Shukla may not be able to fulfil all the demands immediately.
Kma also said that he understands that the problems being faced by the students due to the indefinite strike call and that they should not be missing classes since their tests and examinations are nearing.
“The JAC will discuss all these so that the students do not miss their classes but our demands are also met. We have to strike a balance between our demands and the future of our kids,” the JAC chairman said.
However Kma said that the JAC is resolute that their demands are met by the Vice Chancellor in time.
