IMPHAL: Political parties of the state came together on Sunday to discuss the impasse gripping the state from two quarters - the Naga peace talks and the Manipur University crisis.At the all-political party meeting held at the secretariat here, which Congress did not attend, it was decided that a special assembly session would be convened on the framework agreement signed by the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah). The ongoing two-day assembly session is scheduled to conclude on Monday. Naga talks interlocutor RN Ravi's proposal to grant 'special category' status to Nagas in Assam Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur has met strong resistance in Manipur. Three powerful civil bodies - the United Committee Manipur, All Manipur United Clubs' Organisations and Coalition of Civil Societies Kangleipak - had on Saturday urged political parties across the spectrum to hold deliberations on the issue.Regarding the escalating Manipur University crisis, it was decided at the all-party meeting that a pro vice-chancellor should be appointed under provisions in the Manipur University Act, pending inquiry into allegations levelled against the university's vice-chancellor. Protests against vice-chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey - who has been accused of administrative and financial irregularities - have entered the 52nd day. The university has been shut and students, teachers and staff have stepped up their campaign for his removal. The vice-chancellor, the meeting decided, would be asked to go on leave until the fact-finding team (set up recently) concludes its investigation and normal academic activities should resume.Meanwhile, throwing its weight behind the vice-chancellor, the Joint Bodies of Tribal Students, Manipur on Saturday said Pandey's removal "must be based on findings of the probe by the committee appointed by the government." It said, "We are against the prolonged closure of the university."The tribal student body has called an indefinite hill bandh from Monday, coinciding the decision by the Manipur University Students' Union to disrupt the assembly session for not taking up the issue in the House. The student union had accused the ruling BJP of not taking a stand on the issue.As a precautionary measure, a large number of security personnel has been deployed in the high-security zones here in the state capital, including in front of the main BJP office, Raj Bhavan, secretariat and assembly complex, police said.Chief minister N Biren Singh, after consulting with HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on July 17, had reconstituted a fact-finding committee comprising a retired chief justice of the Meghalaya high court and representatives of the University Grants Commission and the HRD ministry to probe the allegations of financial irregularities and administrative negligence against Pandey.Earlier, the students' union, supported by various civil bodies, had called a two-day general strike from July 17. The strike was by and large peaceful till the second evening, when clashes broke out between the bandh supporters and security personnel.In view of the situation, the state government has suspended mobile internet and SMS services to curb rumour-mongering for five days, starting July 19.

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