HRD ‘assurance’ ends Students strike at NIT

Telegraph Feb 2008
HRD ‘assurance’ ends strike at NITOUR CORRESPONDENT

National Institute of Technology. Telegraph picture
Jamshedpur, Feb. 1: National Institute of Technology students called off the fast-unto-death strike this afternoon following intervention of the local administration.
Seraikela sub-divisional officer Dinesh Prasad reportedly talked to authorities concerned in Union ministry of human resource development.
After an assurance from the ministry that a team of officials will visit the campus next week, he conveyed the message to the students on strike.
It was only after an assurance from the local administration that they would monitor the day-to-day affairs of the college that the protesting students called off the hunger strike.
Before the intervention of the sub-divisional officer, S.N. Sinha, the institute’s present director-in-charge, had tried to persuade the protesters to call off the strike. But the students refused to have a conversation with Sinha.
Sinha, who is looking after the affairs of the institute, after acting director Akhileswar Mishra went on leave, had tried to talk to the protesting students twice ever since the students resorted to fast-unto-death strike.
But on both the occasions the students refused to talk to the senior professor, as they believe he will not solve their problem.
The sub-divisional officer claimed to have a talk with the officials concerned in human resource department.
But the deputy commissioner of Seraikela-Kharswan district, Mohan Lal Rai, said neither his officials nor he had any talk with the ministry in New Delhi.
“We spoke to the acting director (Akhileswar Mishra) who is on leave and informed him about the issue,” said Rai.
The deputy commissioner said that once the acting director comes back, he would take up the issue with the ministry in appointing a full-fledged director.
About 350 students of first and second years had resorted to fast-unto-death on Thursday demanding immediate appointment of a full-fledged director, stepping up security on the college premises, uninterrupted supply of power and drinking water in the college as well as students’ hostels.
The condition of some of the students on hunger strike had turned critical this morning.