"Although the Khanal government followed due procedures in appointing the VCs at universities, the decision was politically as well as morally erroneous as it was against the existing practice of reaching consensus among all parties before taking any crucial decision," PM Bhattarai told all the newly-appointed VCs present at a meeting held on Monday to resolve the ongoing VC appointment row.[break]
Bhattarai also asked all the VCs to "make up their mind" for reaching broader consensus. Dr Kailash Nath Pyakurel, the newly-appointed VC of Agriculture and Forest University, said all the VCs would seek justifiable reason if they were asked to tender resignation for the sake of broader consensus.
"We were appointed legally," Dr Pyakurel said. "It would be unfortunate for all if we are asked to resign for consensus."
According to Devendra Paudel, principal advisor to PM Bhattarai, another meeting has been called for Tuesday to resolve the dispute. The meeting will be attended by the VCs and the representatives of two agitating professors´ associations. "PM Bhattarai has expressed his commitment to end the row on Tuesday," Paudel said.
Meanwhile, Guna Nidhi Neupane, chairman of Democratic Professors´ Association (DPA) hinted that they may call off their protest from Tuesday.
"University staffers have not received salaries due to our strike. It would not be wise to keep on padlocking universities as Dashain is fast approaching. Therefore, we may call off our strike from Tuesday," Neupane said. "However, it all depends on what sort of step PM Bhattarai takes. If our demands are not addressed, we can still continue with our agitation, albeit in different forms."
DPA along with National Professors´ Association (NPA) had padlocked seven universities on August 10, a day after the Khanal government appointed VCs there.
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