Lok Sabha MP from Jorhat and Assam Congress President Gaurav Gogoi on Thursday expressed disappointment over the stand taken by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding the ongoing protests at Tezpur University. Gogoi said the Chief Minister should have shown support to the faculty, staff and students who have been raising concerns for several days.
Gogoi said that real leadership would have meant standing with the university community instead of “masking the failures” of the current Vice Chancellor, Shambhu Nath Singh. He stated that the situation at Tezpur University required careful attention from the state leadership, as it involved the reputation of one of the most respected central universities in the Northeast.
The Congress leader also pointed out that Vice Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh has faced controversies in the past. He noted that media reports from the time Singh was the Vice Chancellor of Patna University had mentioned enquiries from the office of the Principal Accountant General regarding financial irregularities. Gogoi said such issues should not be ignored when assessing the present unrest at Tezpur University. 
According to Gogoi, it would be best for the Centre to appoint a new Vice Chancellor to restore confidence among the students and staff. He said the prestige of Tezpur University should be protected at all costs and urged authorities not to use universities in the Northeast for what he described as “posting controversial VCs.”
Gogoi added that the focus should remain on maintaining academic standards, a healthy campus environment and transparent administration. He said the concerns raised by the university community deserve a fair response, and avoiding the core issues would only deepen the crisis.
