Imphal: Manipur deputy chief minister Yumnam Joykumar on Sunday appealed to the agitating Manipur University community to cooperate with the Union human resource development (HRD) ministry and the state government in restoring normality in the university.

The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur, the Kuki Students' Organisation and the All Naga Students' Association Manipur have threatened to intensify protests if the crisis is not resolved by Monday.

Joykumar was addressing reporters at the secretariat here on Sunday in the presence of consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister Karam Shyam, education minister Th. Radheshyam, water resources development minister Letpao Haokip and public health engineering minister Losii Dikho.

The central university has been paralysed after the Manipur University Students' Union launched a strike on May 30 demanding the ouster of vice-chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey for the alleged administrative and financial irregularities.

The students' strike was later supported by the teachers and the staff after the students' body launched a total shutdown of the university in the first week of June.

The government made an appeal for cooperation after the university community refused the inquiry into the matter by a fact-finding committee headed by former Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court T. Nandakumar Singh.

Joykumar said the Union HRD ministry has taken a positive step to end the impasse in the university. He said vice-chancellor Pandey has been put on leave for 30 days and the senior-most professor, W. Vishwanath, has been appointed the vice-chancellor (in-charge). He said bringing normality on the campus is important to facilitate the inquiry by the fact-finding committee and in discharging their duties in a free and fair manner.

Joykumar said solving the Manipur University problem is the topmost priority of the government as it holds the future of more than 25,000 students. Urging to resolve the issues, he appealed to the university fraternity to allow the fact-finding committee to proceed with its duties. He said the government is ready to take up necessary steps, if the result of inquiry is not satisfactory.

He also said the state government may invite the representatives of the university community for talks soon.

Joykumar said the university community should not doubt the inquiry as it will be based on facts and figures.