By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The teaching and non-teaching staffs of NEHU under the banner of Joint Action Committee (JAC) launched their agitational programme by wearing black badges here on Thursday, while resolving to continue with their protest against the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), UGC and the administrational heads of NEHU for their proposed financial cut in the budgetary allocation to the University.
Alleging this proposal as a dubious ploy to raise the Hills Area Special Allowance (HASA) issue, president of the JAC, Prof XP Moa, said that payment of HASA is part of the NEHU Statutory provision and therefore cannot be scraped. “Indirectly, the vice chancellor wanted to bring HASA matter in the Academic Council,” he added.
Prof Moa also stated that financial cut should be discussed by the finance committee and not the academic committee. “The JAC resolves to take all means to stop bringing the HASA matter directly or indirectly in the academic council,” he stated.
Stating that HASA is a special ordinance approved by the President twice in 1997 and 2000, Prof Moa said informed that no changes could be made in the amendments and the question of revoking payment of HASA does not arise.
Alleging the NEHU Vice-Chancellor, Prof AN Rai, of violating the provisions of NEHU and the agreement signed between him and members of the JAC, secretary of JAC, Dr Prasenjit Biswa, said, “The VC has to have the legal contemplate to stand on the act of NEHU,” while reiterating the JAC’s stand to protest against this arbitrary act of the HRD Ministry and the VC as the Parliament does not allow such financial cut.
Alleging the recent proposal as a blatant act by some erring officers of the MHRD, Dr Biswa said the MHRD is violating the law laid down by the Parliament and such officers should be held responsible.
It was learnt that the HASA matter came to the fore following the publication of the NEHU audit by the Comptroller of Accountant General (CAG) as the budget for NEHU is passed by the Parliament annually as part of the Finance Bill.
“The audit reports made a remark on the payment of HASA stating it as ‘illegitimate’ and the same was taken up by MHRD who issued a circular thereafter,” the JAC secretary said adding that HASA is for a different purpose and not one in the same as the CAG audit report claims.
“They (Ministry), however, failed to realized that benefit once given cannot taken back and even if the matter goes to the Supreme Court, no changes could be made to the ordinance passed and approved by the President,” Dr Biswa asserted.
The JAC will hold a pen down, tool down and chalk down strike on Friday to pressurize the Vice-Chancellor to honour the agreement signed between him and members of the JAC with regards to payment of Hills Area Special Allowance (HASA) to NEHU employees.
