Ajit Kumar Bhuyan writes to Assam Governor, seeks urgent intervention in Tezpur University crisis

Guwahati: Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan has written to Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya expressing grave concern over the ongoing unrest at Tezpur University and urging immediate action to restore normalcy on campus.

In his letter, Bhuyan said that Tezpur University — considered one of the key outcomes of the Assam Accord and established by an Act of Parliament in 1994 — has been witnessing continuous protests for several months.

Students have been demonstrating since mid-September alleging corruption and financial irregularities within the administration, and the campus has been under shutdown since November 29, bringing all academic activities to a standstill.

MP Bhuyan highlighted that the Vice-Chancellor has been absent from the campus for nearly two months, a situation he termed “unfortunate” and damaging to the institution’s reputation.

“"The absence of Vice Chancellor in campus/office raises certain basic question as to whether he is on leave or unauthorizedly absent in office for more than two months. It is very much unfortunate for a university if a perception is grown up in public mind that its Vice Chancellor is absconding," MP Bhuyan said.

Bhuyan stressed that the Vice Chancellor "cannot escape responsibility simply by keeping away from the University campus" amidst serious allegations of omissions and commissions, including corruption, which have surfaced in the public domain.

Stating that no sincere effort has yet been made to resolve the impasse, Bhuyan alleged that irregularities surfacing in public suggest they are taking place with “direct and tacit approval of the authority.”

He stressed that a central institution of learning should not suffer due to one individual and called for the restoration of the academic atmosphere at the earliest.

Bhuyan also cautioned the government against extraneous considerations in the appointment of vice-chancellors. Referring to recent remarks by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Bhuyan said that appointing a Pro-Vice Chancellor in place of the Vice Chancellor could mask the failures of the present administration.

He urged that a new vice-chancellor be appointed instead of posting “controversial VCs” in universities of the Northeast.

Bhuyan appealed to the Governor — who is also the Visitor of the institution — to take “immediate appropriate steps” to restore peace and order in Tezpur University.

"The need of the hour is to bring back the educational atmosphere to normalcy. For one individual the highest temple of learning cannot be allowed to suffer," he mentioned.