13 May,2011 08:26 AM IST | | Vatsala Shrangi
They are protesting against closing of admissions under extra curricular activities and sports quota
Social activist Anna Hazare's 'fast' method of protest has now inspired teaching faculty at Delhi University's Hindu College too. The faculty has been on an indefinite relay hunger strike against some decisions taken by the college's General Body (GB) recently.
Hear us! Hindu College staff association members sit on strike at DU's
north campus in New Delhi on Thursday. Pic/Subhash Barolia
The teachers started their indefinite strike on April 27 against the GB's decision to stop the admissions under Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) and sports quota in the college for two years. The teachers say that the GB chairman SNP Punj had acted in a dictatorial way and had even ignored the directives of the principal Dr Vinay K Srivastava. "They owe us an explanation for the decisions taken without giving us any prior intimation of the same. Closing the ECA admissions in the college would mean a big loss to students in the new session," said Inder Pal Singh, Associate Professor of physical education in the college.
"The GB members have not taken our opinion on the matter. They just said that last year large-scale corruption was witnessed in the admissions under ECA category and a lot of complaints had come in. But closing the admissions in the category cannot be the solution," he added.
The strike has intensified as the non-teaching staff too have joined the protest as the GB has been mulling that the vacant staff quarters might not be allocated to them. They are being told that their present quarters may be demolished to make way for girls' hostel. "Where will we go if they decide to do away with our quarters? There is ample space in the campus for building a hostel, why destroy the houses that are already built?" said an official on the condition of anonymity. The staff claim that there has been no word about relocating them so far.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
"The GB has been dictatorial in its approach. There is no point why they do not want to conduct admissions in these two categories. If there was corruption, they should punish the guilty not close the admissions. We have united against the GB chairman decision," said Prof Ratan Lal.u00a0Despite repeated attempts to reach him, GB chairman SNP Punj was not available for comment.
Bright side
However, the principal, Dr Srivastava is hopeful the matter will be solved. "It is a relay hunger strike, so no work is being affected. We are trying our level best to get things under control. Within 40 hours, I suppose things will fall in place. As far as the ECA and sports admissions are concerned, I think it is a fractured decision by the GB. We have already written to the university about the admissions and are awaiting their decision. I think it is an important category and we should promote students who are keen on arts, crafts, and sports."
