Our Correspondent
Imphal, Aug. 21: The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has approved the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between Manipur University community and the central and state government on Aug. 16 at the end of three days meeting, according to an official source.
Joint Secretary of HRD Ministry also informed this through an email to Registrar in-charge of Manipur University.
The representatives of the Manipur University Students’ Union (MUSU), the Manipur University Staffs’ Association (MUSA) and the Manipur University Teachers’ Association (MUTA) on one side and GC Hosur, joint secretary, HRD, on the other, in the presence of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, attended the Aug. 16 meeting.
“Now therefore all concerned officials of MUTA, MUSA and MUSU are informed that all the clauses of the MoA including ‘clause D’ in respect of the leave of Prof AP Pandey during the period of enquiry, have been approved by the Human Resources Minister,” says Registrar in-charge Prof M Shyamkesho Singh of University issued an office memorandum on Monday. “Thus Prof Pandey will be on leave during the enquiry period and until the follow up action taken with enquiry period of 15 days.”
It may be mentioned that MUSU had launched an indefinite shutdown on May 30, demanding the ouster of vice-chancellor AP Pandey, accusing him of financial and administrative irregularities, which the latter has denied.
As per the MoA, the HRD ministry has constituted a two-member enquiry committee with former acting chief justice of the High Court of Meghalaya T Nandakumar as chairman to conduct an enquiry into the allegations leveled against vice chancellor Pandey. The other member of the committee is former Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University MK Choudhury.
However, a joint press release by MUSU, MUTA and MUSA said that they will withdraw from the MoA if the lapses in the order issued by HRD ministry on Aug. 17 are not amended by Aug. 21.
There is no report of any update in this regard till the filing of the report.
