AGITATED EMPLOYEES of Lucknow University (LU) carried out a mock funeral procession and cremation of an effigy of Vice-Chancellor RP Singh, on the varsity campus, on Tuesday, and later, in mock adherence to rituals, had their head shaved! The protestors were demanding the ouster of the V-C and urged the Governor to constitute and inquiry into the “numerous irregularities on campus” during the last one year.
The employees have decided to begin a hunger strike on Wednesday. They intend to proceed on an indefinite strike if they are unable to “stir the authorities” by Monday.
LU Employees’ Union has been protesting the V-C’s use of “rowdy elements” and “troublemakers” in his missive to the UP, Principal Secretary (Home) in describing varsity employees and students. The protesting employees have been demanding action against the V-C ever since.
On Tuesday, LU employees first collected at the Registrar’s Office where the office-bearers of the Employees’ Union conducted a meeting and addressed union members. Later, they marched in a mock funeral procession around the campus and shouted anti V-C slogans. They alleged that the V-C did not have a good opinion of the employees and did not respect them.
The protesting employees appealed to the State Government to probe into amount of money being spent for campus beautification. “By putting up iron grills in every nook and corner of the majestic building of LU, the V-C has actually turned the university into a jail or cage. Besides, dozens of gates that were installed at every intersection of the campus also calls for a thorough inquiry,” they said.
{{/usCountry}}The protesting employees appealed to the State Government to probe into amount of money being spent for campus beautification. “By putting up iron grills in every nook and corner of the majestic building of LU, the V-C has actually turned the university into a jail or cage. Besides, dozens of gates that were installed at every intersection of the campus also calls for a thorough inquiry,” they said.
{{/usCountry}}On the other hand, about a dozen students tried to obstruct the employees from taking out the procession. Both students and employees entered into a heated argument. The employees alleged that this “obstruction” was the handiwork of some teachers desperate to be in the good books of the V-C.
“They wanted to divert our agitation as a student-employee conflict,” the employees said.
Meanwhile, the varsity administration has appealed to the employees to resume duties as the final examinations are drawing near. LU officials told HT Lucknow Live that the varsity is considering some demands like giving money for summer uniform to the employees, residence for the employees, no recovery of salary till further orders from the State Government etc and hence they should resume their work.