The stalemate over demands placed by research scholars of Assam University with its officials refuses to end.
The indefinite strike by Assam University research scholars, five days back, has now taken a tacit turn as they began a hunger strike with effect from Friday.
Five days into their strike and with vice chancellor of Assam University, Dr Dilip Chandra Nath, being in Japan, the agitation by the university’s research scholars is getting from bad to worse.
Camping near the entrance gates, the hunger strike by the agitating research scholars is also giving the district administration sleepless nights for which, they too are keeping a close watch on the developments that is taking place, an official on condition of anonymity informed Northeast Now.
Several rounds of talks by university authorities with these scholars could not break the ice as they are demanding for all issues to be resolved without any comprises.
Apart from awarding non-net fellowships for year 2017 and 2018, the research scholars also demanded an animal house to be made for research scholars who work on them, instead of shutting down such programmes; setting up of a permanent building for B Pharm course and to begin M Pharm courses too; to keep open Bachelor of Vocational Studies, instead of winding up this course; better road connectivity between departments and inside the campus, are a few demands that the research scholars are agitating, since March 5.
With each passing day, the situation is getting more volatile for which district administration has stationed additional para military forces other then a police party manning all proceedings of their agitation.
Talking to this correspondent, Milan Das, president of Assam University Research Scholars Union, said, “Students are becoming very aggressive. If the university authorities don’t give us a permanent solution, the agitation can become volatile anytime soon and for that, the university authorities would be solely responsible.”
He added, “The acting vice chancellor, Dr Rani Dhamala, informed us that without the approval of VC, Dr Dilip Chandra Nath, no action can be taken. The mood of the research scholars, as of now, is that they can wait out here till he arrives from Japan and gives us a solution to our problems.”
Meanwhile, with such an imbroglio continuing between research scholars of this university and its authorities, what would happen to Assam University’s convocation on 14th March, next, would be a thing to watch out for in next coming days.