Maoist Chairman Dahal, who is prime minister and chancellor of the University, had allegedly assured to return the unused land acquired by TU some 52 years back to the landowners and also provide compensation to those who have yet to receive the money for their land once he joined the government. Dahal was elected from Kathmandu Constituency 10 in last year’s Constituent Assembly elections.
Speaking at a press conference organized by Nepal University Teachers’ Association (NUTA) in the capital, Professor Indira Joshi claimed that the standoff between locals and TU would have never occurred had Dahal not made such false promises. “The problem is caused due to the electoral speeches by the Chancellor and Prime Minister,” said Joshi, who is also former treasurer of NUTA.
In a query by journalists why does NUTA not speak up on the standoff between TU and agitating locals, NUTA General Secretary Rameshwor Upadhyaya also admitted that the main reason behind the standoff was Dahal’s false promises. “We have our own limitations,” he said. “You journalists have understood the reason. So, you report it accordingly.”
The country’s oldest university has closed down all its departments in Kirtipur and Office of the Controller of Examination at Balkhu after agitating Tribhuvan University Victims Struggle Committee (TUVSC) vandalized the office of Vice Chancellor Madhav Sharma and some other TU departments on January 1.
The vandalizing happened shortly after TU authorities said the demands were beyond the university’s means.
TUVSC is in protest for the last two months demanding that the TU provide 60 percent concessions in medical treatment for Kirtipur residents at TU-run medical colleges, provide scholarships every year to at least five students from Kirtipur in all TU departments and ensure that the 60 per cent of the TU staffers are from Kirtipur.
Among other things, the TUVSC has demanded that the TU provide them the unused university land to the residents for recreational use and provide compensation for the land acquisitioned during the setting up of the university as per present market price.
The then government in 2013 BS, 2033 BS and 2041 BS had acquired a total of 6,500 ropanis of land for the university.
TUVSC claims that some 20 percent of the victims have not yet received compensation for the land acquired by the government. Likewise, the struggle committee has also alleged that the government so far has failed to abide by the agreement made in 2013 BS that the TU would give priority to local residents while recruiting staffers.
Locals had launched similar protests in 2055 BS, but stopped it after the university and the then government said the issue of compensation was already resolved by past governments, and meeting other demands was beyond their capacity.
Reading out a press statement, NUTA General Secretary Upadhyaya said the university was shut down without consulting its stakeholders. He expressed concern that the prolonged closure of the university and its offices would make the future of thousands of students uncertain.
He also alleged continued apathy on the part of TU to reopen its closed offices.
Professor Kapil Shrestha said it is sad to note that the country’s largest university remains shut for the last 18 days. He urged concerned parties to resolve the issue through dialogue.
Meanwhile, TU Vice Chancellor Madhav Sharma said he has apprised TU Chancellor and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the demands. “We can meet the demands only if the government provides us extra funds for the purpose,” he said.
Sharma said he asked TU Teaching Hospital if the demand of Kirtipur locals to provide them 60 percent concessions in medical treatment could be met. “I have been told by its director that it is simply beyond the capacity of the hospital,” he added.
He added that they have done everything possible to resolve the stand-off. “Prime minister would himself take up the matter,” he said.
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