Teachers observe ?black day? in protest

FOR THE first time Teachers Day was celebrated in a different manner in protest of Sabharwal?s killing. Teachers observed a ?Black Day? as homage to the professor. The bandh went off peacefully as students kept off campuses.

FOR THE first time Teachers Day was celebrated in a different manner in protest of Sabharwal’s killing. Teachers observed a ‘Black Day’ as homage to the professor. The bandh went off peacefully as students kept off campuses.

All teachers’ organisations had declared their intent of not celebrating this day with the usual euphoria and Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya Teachers Association (DEVTA) went a step forward and declared a self-imposed ‘bandh’. At many places it has unanimously been decided to celebrate Teacher’s Day tomorrow.

Government Arts and Commerce College (GACC) acting principal Dr Pushplata Jain Mejeji said that the teachers had not considered it right to politicise the issue and were present in full force. However, the students were missing as most chose to remain off campus due to the bandh.

Transport services, which were hit by the ‘bandh’, also caused the students to remain off campus, as most students living at far off places could not make it on time. Only seven students were present during the morning shift in the college.Reader in the department of chemistry Dr Nitin Sapre said that for teachers every day becomes Teacher’s Day if the students attend class.

They do not require any special occasion for celebration. Central Librarian Dr G H S Naidu said that the atmosphere at the library and the presence of employees was normal, though the number of students was comparatively less.

City Youth Congress president Devendra Singh Yadav said that a large number of activists took out a rally on two-wheelers around the City from 7 am starting out from Gandhi Bhawan. The activists went to all major colleges and asked students and teachers to participate in the ‘bandh’ and refrain from celebrating Teacher’s Day or attending classes.

The activists tied black ribbons on students, teachers and passers-by. Many colleges including Christian, Gujarati Commerce, Gujarati Science, Vaishnav Commerce, Sanskrit, Khalsa, Maheshwari, GACC, Ranjit Singh, Priyadarshini and IKDC College were persuaded to participate in the ‘bandh’.

They held a condolence meeting for Dr Sabharwal in front of Ahilya Statue on the RNT Marg premises of the Devi Ahilya Vishwa Vidyalaya (DAVV). Acting V-C Dr Rajkamal, however, performed the annual ritual of garlanding the statue of Dr S Radhakrishnan located in the middle of an unkempt lawn on the Khandwa Road premise of the University.