By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 31: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) consisting of NEHUTA, NEHUSU, and NEHUNSA is prepared to step up its protest if NEHU Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla does not fire senior consultant and technical officer Rohit Prasad, who was allegedly recruited illegally.
Lakhon Kma, the head of the JAC, stated that they anticipate Prasad to step down on his own.
“But even if he doesn’t quit on his own, the JAC will continue to press the VC to end his employment. His office room is now locked. On humanitarian grounds, we will allow him time to leave the quarter assigned to him,” Kma stated.
The JAC will announce the next phase of agitation if their demand to remove Prasad is not fulfilled, Kma warned.
The NEHU VC has defended Prasad’s appointment by stating that all required procedures were followed and that the university’s laws and regulations were adhered to.
“I will be providing all the information, including facts. I will address the media individually to provide clarification on this matter with all the relevant documentation,” Shukla continued.
The JAC members had intensified their agitation against VC earlier in the day by refusing to cooperate, beginning with their absence from the 111th Academic Council meeting.
The academic council meeting was scheduled to take place in the multipurpose convocation hall, which was where the JAC members originally convened.
When they discovered that the VC had moved the academic council meeting to his office conference room, they later staged a procession from the multipurpose convocation hall.
The JAC members burst into the conference room where the AC meeting was scheduled to take place after congregating at the VC office.
As the JAC decided to hold its general assembly outside the VC office grounds, the members of the group pushed those who were inside to come out.
The majority of the members complied with the request, but one professor refused to oblige, which forced the other members of the JAC to criticise his choice.
After that, the JAC met outside the VC’s office, where leaders discussed the myriad alleged irregularities and crimes the VC is said to have committed.
Earlier in the day, Prasad was encircled by members of the JAC after he refused to give them the key, despite their desire to lock his room.
At first, Prasad said he didn’t have the key. However, because the guards had informed them that he used to open his room by himself, the JAC members were unwilling to hear his defence.
Prasad later said that he had left the key in his room. Following this, a small group of JAC members and the security personnel escorted Prasad to his room.
Ultimately, the room designated for Prasad in the VC office was closed by Kma and other members after the key was brought.
Prior to the JAC members leaving, Prasad had locked himself in his room with the aim of locking it in the first place. However, the JAC members urged him to leave his room.
Prasad later emerged from his chamber and sought an assurance that they would not hurt him. However, he refused to give up his room key, and it was then that the JAC members cornered him.