India : JNUTA observes day-long strike against professor's suspension
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) went on a day-long strike on Friday against the suspension of Associate Professor Ashish Agnihotri over financial irregularities.
Highlighting the “regressive
moves and amendments” being carried out by the university administration, the teacher said these will hamper the autonomy of the institution.
UnjustifiedThe Association alleged that the decision to suspend Prof. Agnihotri was unjustified and the punishment a disproportionate response to the matter.
Rallying behind the suspended Professor, who is the JNUTA vice-president, the teachers felt the move was aimed at intimidating them. The association submitted a memorandum to the administration urging it “not keep him suspended for eternity”.
Speaking about the attack on the autonomy of the institution, JNUTA president Ajay Patnaik said the university has its “own mechanism to punish and will punish” if a faculty member is found to have committed any offence.
He opposed the application of the central civil service rules to JNU. “We are an autonomous institution, that has its own rules. We are not government employees that CCS rules will apply to us.”
Prof. Agnihotri was suspended last week for claiming LTC and medical reimbursement for his parents by submitting false certificates. He later apologised for the incident. The decision to go on a strike was taken during an executive council meeting of the JNUTA on Monday. The JNU Students’ Union and the Contractual Workers’ Union also supported the call for the strike.