DUTA threatens hunger strike

Slamming Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh for calling the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) an "illegal welfare body made by teachers", the teachers' body on Saturday resolved to start an indefinite relay hunger strike outside the V-C's office from October 10 if the alleged "sidelining of teachers" on policy matters continued.

Slamming Delhi University vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh for calling the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) an "illegal welfare body made by teachers", the teachers' body on Saturday resolved to start an indefinite relay hunger strike outside the V-C's office from October 10 if the alleged "sidelining of teachers" on policy matters continued.

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The decision was taken at DUTA's general body meeting (GBM) on Sunday held in Ramjas College, where a resolution was also passed.

"This general body censures the vice-chancellor for his contemptuous disregard of the statutory bodies of the university and destroying the entire academic fabric by unilaterally announcing new courses and academic programmes through media and running the university as his personal fiefdom," the resolution said.

The GBM also expressed its opposition to the idea of having a biometric attendance system, among many other issues.

"The general body notes that the matter was debated at length on December 23, 2009 in the executive council of the university, which, in its wisdom, rejected the proposal for daily marking of attendance by teachers," said a statement issued by DUTA.

The issues of vacant permanent posts, point-based-promotions and pensions of retired teachers not being fixed were also discussed at the meeting.

DUTA, in its statement, also said that it may move towards more precipitative actions if the university authorities fail to concede the demands raised by it within a definite time frame.

The body had also met President Pranab Mujherjee, who is also the visitor of DU, and discussed their concerns with him on Friday.

The teachers' body also accused the vice-chancellor of trying to sabotage the general body meeting.

"The vice-chancellor has undertaken a nefarious exercise of pressuring various college principals not to allow the DUTA to hold its own GBMs on their premises, of which the withdrawals of already granted permissions for the same by SRCC and Ramjas College are glaring instances," the DUTA statement said.

After cancelling permission once, Ramjas College allowed the teachers to hold the GBM on its premises.