Health department officials are toiling hard to restore academic activities at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and bring warring factions at the Government run premier medical college on an agreement to allow resumption of studies that was suspended sine die.
However, students who claim tag of victim refused to budge from their stand demanding measures to ensure safety and security of students. Health department officials on Tuesday held meeting with another group of students who alleged manhandling at the hands of local students and end the deadlock. Emotions flied high in the meeting that was chaired by Joint Secretary BK Mishra as students also blamed RIMS administration of going soft on the culprits.
The meeting was also attended by parents of some of the students. Notably, Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi had assured that academic activities will resume before February 27. “They have presented their demand, we will discuss it. We cannot allow this place to turn into a battlefield. Everyone is agreed to the point that classes should resume and it will be our effort that happens as early as possible,” said Mishra.
The two-hour long meeting however failed to pacify budding doctors as they held their positions and demanded certain conditions to be met that includes transfer of four faculties for their alleged role in abetment to criminal activities within the institutions campus and spewing venom against non-tribal students.
Students castigated Director RIMS, SK Chaudhary and sought his removal from the post. Director RIMS was not available for its comment. “The faculties named in the memorandum are directly involved in the encouraging such elements. One had even said during the sports meet that cut their heads and hang them. We want them to be transferred,” said a student seeking anonymity.
Preconditions for restoring status quo at RIMS included suspension of 25 students for a period of at least 2-years and rusticating if proven guilty, police picket within the campus, two armed guards in all the four hostels, night patrolling by police from 10 pm to 3 am, CCTV cameras on all flour and common rooms of all hostels.
Interestingly, preliminary discourse with students has apparently irked Health department about the lackadaisical approach of the administration. A highly placed source in the department expressed that the RIMS administration should have nipped the problem in its bud and criticised for the administrations to acting late.
The series of meeting continued late evening as the Joint Secretary held closed door meeting with Director and faculty members to find amicable solution to the problems. Meanwhile, sources said Principal Secretary Health is likely chair a meeting on Wednesday over the impasse to bring everything in order.
Incidentally, academic activities were suspended on February 5 following clashes between two groups of students and hostels were subsequently vacated at insistence of district administration for preventing further clashes. Since then students have been put up in Arogya Bhawan whereas some of the Under Graduate students have returned to their home.