Shillong, Jun 4: The North Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) demanded immediate removal of para military forces from the University’s campus.

Alleging the state government of attempting to militarise the institute, the joint delegation of the two student bodies also met NEHU vice chancellor SK Srivastava and submitted a memorandum to him on Monday.

KSU-NEHU president Pynkmenlang Sanmiet said that the demand was made after security forces entered the campus on Saturday night and continued to station in the campus.

“The university has given them several buildings to stay while it failed to address the issue of accommodation of students who are in need of hostels. The presence of forces in the campus has created a sense of insecurity among the students,” he said.

The matter was also brought to the notice of the authority that in the past, the university had agreed to stop the accommodation of any forces within the campus.

During the meeting with the Vice Chancellor, Sanmiet said that the delegation was informed that the presence of these forces in the campus was because of the pressure of the government of Meghalaya.

“We strongly condemn the state government for trying to militarize the academic institution and making it as a barrack while it fails to solve the issue of education, and various demands put by the students from time to time,” he said.

The KSU NEHU president said that the government should know that NEHU is an academic institution and not a battle field, while demanding their immediate removal.

He warned of going for agitation if these para military forces are not removed from the campus.

Meanwhile, Sanmiet said that the Union also condemned the incident on May 31 at Bimola in which three persons were assaulted, and against the inhuman action of police forces by beating up the youth and using of tear gas shells and other weapons.