Teachers, staff from different DU colleges demand his replacement

Protests against 'casteist' principal

Teachers, staff from different DU colleges demand his replacement

The caste debate is raging in Delhi University. After MiD DAY reported how Ram Lal Anand College Principal Dr V Sharma allegedly targeted his Dalit colleague with verbal assault, teachers and staff association members from both north and south campus came together in a demonstration on Wednesday. The protest started at around 12.30 pm and went on for more than an hour, with agitators demanding the ouster of the Principal.

Members of various SC/ST organisations at DU demonstrating at RLA
college. PIC/Rajeev Tyagi

Dr Vijay Sharma had allegedly abused his colleague Dr Surender Kumar, and accused him of playing politics against him. "We came together at very short notice to find out the facts of the ongoing matter. Today we had a very quiet protest but if no action is taken soon, we are going for a long battle. We had the support of north campus colleges and from the south, staff members of colleges like Venkateswara and Moti Lal stood with us.

People shouted slogans like 'Jatiwaad ka naash ho, jatiwaad ho barbad; principal ho bardbaad, principal ka naash ho'. We couldn't talk to the Principal since he didn't show his face in the college. But we'll talk to him soon," said Kirpal Singh, from the Delhi University and colleges SC/ST Employees Welfare Association.

Some staffers expressed shock at the caste issue raising its head in the Delhi University with the Principal of a premier south campus college embroiled in it. "We have nothing to say about him. He's arrogant and has misbehaved with most of the staff members. Most of all, there was a programme for the uplift of the underprivileged which he abandoned completely. Since he has taken over he's never appointed any SC/ST/ OBC staff. He prefers only general category aspirants.

After MiD DAY's report most of the teachers had come forward with their problems. More than 95% of the staff members participated in the protest. We are demanding justice not only for Surender Kumar but for all the problems we had been facing since his appointment," said Rajesh Sachdev, Vice-President of staff association.
However, most students had no idea about what was going inside the campus. But they were aware of some allegations against the principal.

"The teachers usually go on strike regarding one issue or another. I don't know what we are doing in this college. Today the staff members are protesting against the principal. We do not have any idea what the matter is but we do now that one more day has been wasted. It's almost like we are coming to college for time-pass. We want all these things to be sorted out as soon as possible," said Karishma Chopra, a 1st year BA student.

BONE OF CONTENTION
Dr Vijay Sharma, principal, Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University, has been charged with abusing a Dalit teacher of his institution by calling him names. On August 31, the principal allegedly calledu00a0 up Dr Surender Kumar andu00a0 abused him with alleged casteist comments.

The Other Side
The protest is nothing new; it's been going on for months. They are playing the politics of coercion and aggression and it is basically a strategy for the upcoming elections. There are some teachers who are being terrorized by some organisations. It's a totally baseless allegation. They have locked my office and my house too. And about not coming to college, it was because I had some important work at the University".u00a0
- Dr V Sharma, Principal, Ram Lal Anand College