Despite month-long protests, Manipur University vice chancellor refuses to resign
The protestors claim that Adya Prasad Panday is incompetent, and conducts several ‘non-academic activities’ from his office.
Manipur University Vice Chancellor Adya Prasad Panday on Sunday said he would not resign and refuted all allegations of misconduct levelled against him by students.
“I will not tender my resignation,” Panday told reporters in Imphal, The Indian Express reported. “I am here to serve the university, not to resign.”
Since May 30, the Manipur University Students’ Union has spearheaded protests demanding Panday’s resignation. Since then, several teachers, deans and political parties such as the Manipur units of the Congress and Trinamool Congress have joined the agitation. The protests have paralysed the university, with agitators locking down the administrative block. The semester examinations have also been postponed indefinitely.
The protestors claim that Panday is incompetent, and conducts several “non-academic activities” from his office. He has also not been able to fill key positions such as that of the chancellor in the university since he took charge in October 2016, they claim, adding that other posts such as the registrar are also often left vacant.
They also allege that he goes on leave for long periods of time without mentioning his date of return, and an “extraordinary” amount of money is used for these trips, according to the Imphal Free Press. Some protestors have also accused the vice chancellor of trying to “saffronise the university” by promoting some groups that have connections with right-wing organisations.
“I deny forthwith all the students’ union’s allegations against me, which are mentioned in points, simply on the ground that they are baseless, malicious and mala fide,” Panday said, according to The Telegraph. “My visits outside Manipur are for official purposes. It is very unfortunate that my official visits for the development and welfare of the university are being quoted ‘disgrace to the office’. Moreover, expenditure incurred on the official visits cannot be considered as loss to the university.”