Rakkam urges students to call off hunger strike

Shillong, Nov 19: Education Minister Rakkam Sangma on Tuesday urged the agitating students of NEHU to call off their indefinite hunger strike, while asserting that Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has already taken up the matter with the Union Minister of Education and the central government has even constituted a committee to look into the nitty-gritty of the issue.
Pointing out that the Ministry of Education has understood the issues flagged by the students, he expressed concern over the deteriorating health of the agitating students saying the strike will also affect their academics.
Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Tuesday assured that he will take the internal report prepared  by NEHU on the wrongdoings by incumbent Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla and submit it to the chief minister who will forward the same to the Ministry of Education.
He also insisted that the two-member inquiry committee constituted by the ministry should visit the university to see with their own eyes how the university has been reduced to shambles due to the failure of Prof Shukla.
Lyngdoh said he was concerned about the present status of the university not only as a minister but also as alumni.
“NEHU was among the top 50 universities in the country but now its ranking has gone down to 128,” Lyngdoh lamented.