Students of Dhanamanjuri University (DMU) on Tuesday launched an indefinite hunger strike, demanding authorities concerned to appoint a regular vice chancellor and registrar of the university.
The students also demanded authorities to fill out the vacant posts in non-teaching staff.
The strike has been launched decrying the Manipur government’s alleged disregard to improve the academic and the administrative affairs of the university even after six years of its inception.
Undergraduate, post graduate and PhD students of the DMU collectively protested on the first day holding placards demanding authorities to stop turning the university into a business hub for the elites in the bureaucracy.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the university, president of DMU Students’ Union Irom Dimocha stated that the indefinite protest was the last resort for students to make the authorities listen to their grievances.
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“We will maintain a peaceful protest. Deploying RAF personnel to instill fear is highly condemnable as we are fighting to secure the future of Manipur’s only state university,” he said.
He highlighted that academic careers of numerous students were in jeopardy because of the “unethical practices of the university administration.”
“We are afraid of the future. Exams are not conducted on time. The mark sheets are withheld for months on end, making it impossible for students to study outside the state. Who will take the responsibility for their future?” he asked.
He pointed out that the students had been demanding for the removal of the vice chancellor and registrar because of their failure to strictly maintain the academic calendar.
Several memorandums have been submitted but no one cares about the future of the students, he added.
He stated DMU had no able authority to rein in the issues and therefore, he cautioned that the students would not waver from the protest till the demands were met.
