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Students and police in riot gear facing each other at the Secretariat Plaza in Kohima on Tuesday.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 5 (EMN): The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) on Wednesday decided to call off “indefinite hunger strike,” a day after it started the agitation, following the state government’s assurance to fulfil its demands.
The decision came after the student body met with Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and a few ministers, at the CM’s residence on Wednesday afternoon.
Addressing the media persons after the meeting, the ANCSU officials said: “The state government has agreed and assured to meet the demands of the ANCSU.” The union was also assured of “early report” and to “take stern action against the officers/staffs involved.”
ANCSU Vice President Benjong Longchar said the state government had expressed “serious concern on the misappropriation of the State Technical Scholarship fund.”
“The government has agreed to keep away the incumbent Director of technical education from the responsibility of holding the office (and if needed will be suspended) until the reports are finalised for fair enquiry,” Longchar said. He added that the government has assured to set up a Nodal Cell “immediately,” to implement all kinds of scholarships schemes in Nagaland.
The ANCSU learned that there are 18 scholarships for students which are implemented by different departments; with three schemes from the Higher and Technical Education, while some certain schemes which are unable to locate by the beneficiaries. The ANCSU is looking for more details on student-related schemes, Longchar added.
“The state government has agreed and assured to settle the Kohima Science College land issue by making alternative arrangements and initiating necessary actions for the welfare of the college. The matter will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting of the government on June 10 2019,” said ANCSU.
The government has assured to ‘immediately take necessary action and send the sanctioned Assistant Professors post under Higher Education department to be recruited through Nagaland Public Service Commission,’ the officials informed. The union was also assured of taking necessary measures in implementing scholarship schemes fairly.
The ANCSU thanked the Chief Minister for “lending his ears to the genuine demands of the student community.” It also thanked various federations, organisations, units, unions, and students who have shown solidarity with the union in the fight for justice.
However, the union did not set any timeline to the government to meet the demands. The student body officials said it (solution) was discussed based on the “immediate” ground. Further, the officials said “this is not the end.” The union may come back “anytime” to question the government if necessary actions are not taken.
Two students -- Viketuonuo Kikhi and Thungpang Chang -- who are President and Vice president respectively of student council at different colleges, spoke on behalf of the students who were injured on June 4. They said that the students were “physically and emotionally hurt” at the policemen who “chased” them like “cats and dogs.”
“As students, we feel it was very brutal,” the students said. In the midst of suffering, we are happy at the state government’s response to look into the demands of the ANCSU, they said, adding: “We accept the apology made by the government.”
The ANCSU “strongly condemn” Chief Secretary Temjen Toy’s statement that “the students were dispersed off in a peaceful manner” on Tuesday, terming it as “misleading”. When the students were injured, faced with lathi charge and assaulted such statement from a “responsible government official” has added more fuel to the fire, the union said.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio conveyed “sincere apology” and expressed regret at the “harassment being meted out to the students” on June 4, according to the ANCSU officials.
Earlier, at the NAMO victory celebration programme, Minister for Higher & Technical Education Temjen Imna Along had expressed regret and admitted that the incident “went a little overboard and things have gone a little wrong.”
Reiterating that the government is never against the student community; rather it respects and understands the issues raised by ANCSU; Along said, it is trying its best to resolve the issues. At the same time, he requested the students to have a little patience rather than issuing ultimatum one day and resorting to agitation the next day. Stating that the process takes time, he urged for the law to take its own course of action.
Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton also assured that his department would find out the people involved in the misappropriation of scholarship funds and initiate action against them.
