HT Digital,
Tezpur, Nov 28: Tezpur University saw intense unrest since few months as students, teachers, and staff burned the effigies of Vice-Chancellor Shambhunath Singh, Finance Officer Brajabhushan Mishra, and Executive Engineer Yadav Nath at the main gate. The protest marked the 69th day of the ongoing agitation that began after the university administration was accused of showing indifference following the death of celebrated artist Zubeen Garg.
The demonstrators shut all administrative offices for the first time after blocking the main entrance a day earlier. They alleged a series of irregularities under the Vice-Chancellor’s tenure, claiming that Singh and his associates created an atmosphere of fear and ignored corruption complaints, including the purchase of substandard materials at inflated prices for the Lachit and Kanaklata hostels.
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Protesters said the Executive Engineer, who has been absent from campus since yesterday evening, must explain why excessive funds were spent and under whose instruction. They further questioned why no action has been taken by the Union Ministry of Education despite two high-level inquiry committees already conducting inspections.
With the Vice-Chancellor reportedly away since the first night of the protest, the campus environment has steadily deteriorated, raising concern among the university community. Many fear that the continued silence of the authorities is linked to the Vice-Chancellor’s political connections in Delhi, as calls for his removal and suspension during the investigation remain unaddressed.
While classes continue, protesters say the internal atmosphere of the university has suffered, and they accuse the authorities of neglecting one of the country’s key centres of higher education at a critical moment.
