Students' Body Calls Off Indefinite Hunger Strike in Nagaland, CM Agrees to Meet Demands Immediately

Kohima: An indefinite hunger strike called by a students' body in Nagaland, in support of its five-point charter of demands, has been called off following the intervention of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, the organisers said on Wednesday.

The demands included action against erring officials for alleged siphoning of Rs 1.32 crore from the state technical scholarship funds in 2014-16 and resignation of the director of technical education for not revealing the names of those involved. On the expiry of an ultimatum seeking fulfillment of their demands served to the Technical Education Department on May 25, the All Nagaland College Students' Union (ANCSU) had launched the hunger strike on June 4.

An indefinite Dimapur bandh called by the same organisation from June 5 has also been postponed, ANCSU vice president Benjong Longchar and general secretary Vimeyiekho Vitso told a press conference here. The chief minister had called the ANCSU leaders for a discussion on Wednesday, following police action against the agitating students at the Secretariat on Tuesday, which was condemned by student bodies and civil societies, Longchar said.

Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton and Minister for Higher Education and Technical Education Temjen Imna Along were also present at the meeting.

Among the other demands were setting up of a nodal cell to implement the scholarship schemes in Nagaland, settlement of Kohima Science College land encroachment issue by making alternative arrangements and initiating necessary actions for the welfare of the college.

The ANCSU also demanded recruitment of 110 professors through the Nagaland Public Service Commission to fill up the vacant posts of assistant professors and an investigation into the implementation of all the 18 scholarship schemes in the state.

Longchar claimed that the state government has agreed to meet their demands immediately.