NEW DELHI: The Union Human Resources Development Ministry has agreed to a demand by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh to review the fact-finding committee instituted to probe charges levelled against Manipur University Vice-Chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey. The development follows a meeting between Singh and HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday.
"We have asked Manipur government to nominate a member who can be part of the probe committee," a senior official in the Ministry said. Academic activities at the Central university have been under suspension for the past month and a half as teachers, students an associations are agitating for the removal of over alleged financial irregularities and administrative negligence.
The agitators had demanded an independent enquiry committee headed by a retired Chief Justice of the High Court and had said that no official who has worked with the V-C in the financial and administrative mismanagement be part of the committee.
The fact-finding committee formed by the ministry to probe the allegations had UGC and an official from the Centre which was to submit their report within a month.
"Manipur government wanted a retired chief of their state public service commission and we are okay with that," HRD official also said.
In Imphal, a large public gathering and agitating bodies had condemned the Centre and the state government last week for supporting the "irresponsible' vice chancellor and declaring the protestors as anti-national. They had also demanded to appoint an acting vice-chancellor during the judicial enquiry process.