SHILLONG, NOV 27: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday clarified that the state government will not intervene directly in the ongoing matters at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), underlining that its primary concern is safeguarding the interests of the student community.
Talking to Mediapersons, Sangma emphasized that the NEHU issues fall under the jurisdiction of the committee formed by the Government of India.
“That is something that is entirely up to the committee. It is not for me to say. It’s a committee that was formed by the government of India and therefore, it is at their level. As I’ve been mentioning from day one, this is an autonomous body which is completely controlled or connected with the Centre, and therefore, the state government does not normally intervene into the day-to-day functioning since it’s a central university,” Sangma said.
While the state government does not typically involve itself in the university’s internal matters, the Chief Minister assured that it is always ready to provide support whenever needed, particularly when it aligns with the larger interests of the students. “Whenever asked for any advice or whenever asked for any support, we have always done our best to do that,” he added.
Reflecting on his earlier role in addressing the issue, Sangma shared that he had been actively engaged in communicating with Delhi and central authorities to ensure the matter was addressed.
“Even earlier, when this issue had just started off through different multiple channels, I was asked to speak to Delhi, and I did that. Based on those communications and multiple conversations with the central ministry, we were able to come to this point where the inquiry committee was put up,” he said. He reiterated that the state government’s involvement has always been driven by the need to ensure the well-being of NEHU students. “What is important for us is not about the particular issue as such, but the larger interest of the students of NEHU.”
The CM further stressed the state’s commitment to ensuring that the ongoing situation does not adversely affect the students. “We’d like to see that things stabilize. We would like to see that the students’ lives are not affected, their careers are not affected, and their education is not affected. That’s what the larger interest is, and so wherever our inputs and our role are required, we will be happy to be there to support in the larger interest of the students,” he added.
Meanwhile, the two-member inquiry committee appointed by the Central Government has completed its investigation into the NEHU issue and returned to New Delhi. The committee, consisting of Prof. D.P. Singh, former UGC Chairman, and Prof. Dilip Chandra Nath, former Vice Chancellor of Assam University, is tasked with preparing a report on their findings. The report is expected to be submitted by November 29.