Sunsari, September 22

Agitating employees padlocked the office of Vice-chancellor at the Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences for the second time today.

Police personnel and BPKIHS security, however, broke open the padlock today noon. After the padlock was broken, tension ran high on the premises of BPKIHS for sometime.

Agitating BPKIHS employees had padlocked the office of Vice-chancellor Dr Raj Kumar Rauniyar under the leadership of Employees’ Welfare Society, saying Rauniyar had been reluctant to address their demands.

The society had submitted a 21-point charter of demands, including salary increment and benefits, end of corruption at the BPKIHS, expansion of service and quality service, two weeks ago. The agitators accused Rauniyar of doing nothing to address their demands but using hooligans to disrupt the agitation.

Agitating staffers had padlocked the office of Vice-chancellor yesterday as well. Agitators accused Rauniyar of using goons to break open the padlock. They said that goons hired by VC had attacked them.

Employees’ Welfare Society Chairman Sujendra Tamang demanded resignation of VC Rauniyar. “We shall continue our agitation unless our demands are met,” Tamang said. He warned of halting all works at the BPKIHS and take to the street from Sunday.

VC Rauniyar, however, said that a dialogue team was formed led by Registrar to address demands. “We have assigned the prerogative to the talk team to address demands abiding by the BPKIHS rules and act,” he added.

Talk team coordinator Tul Bahadur Shrestha, however, said dialogue with agitating staffers was positive. Shrestha said disagreement was seen as VC Rauniyar had differences with the talks team.