Hyderabad University faculty members' relay hunger strike enters 2nd day
Hyderabad: Even as the relay hunger strike by two suspended faculty members of University of Hyderabad entered the second day on Wednesday, the varsity said the duo had "failed" to intimate the authorities about their arrest earlier this year.
Two faculty members, Associate Professor K Y Ratnam and Assistant Professor Tathagat Sengupta had on Tuesday launched the indefinite strike outside the university protesting against their suspension by the varsity on the ground that they had been detained (arrested) by police for more than 48 hours in March this year.
Ratnam, Head of Centre for Ambedkar Studies and faculty member of Department of Political Science and Sengupta, faculty member of Department of Mathematics, were on Monday served with suspension notice for allegedly not informing the university about their detention by police for more than 48 hours on March 22.
"It is an unjust suspension and we (Ratnam and Sengupta) are continuing with the relay hunger strike," Ratnam told PTI, adding that students, faculty members and civil society have expressed solidarity with them. Meanwhile, six students from different city-based universities joined the faculty members in their protest today.
The SC/ST Teachers Forum had also alleged that the university's action against the two faculty members was taken in a fit of vindictiveness and sought revocation of their suspension.
K Y Ratnam and Tathagat Sengupta were suspended from the services at the University of Hyderabad strictly in accordance with the Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, a release from UoH said.
UoH said as per the rule "a government servant, shall be deemed to have been placed under suspension by an order of Appointing Authority with effect from the date of his detention, if he is detained in custody, whether on a criminal charge or otherwise, for a period exceeding forty-eight hours".
The suspension orders were issued after the approval of the Executive Council of the university in its meeting held on June 6, the first meeting since the episode of vandalism and disruption at the Vice Chancellor's lodge (official residence) on March 22 while a high-level meeting was going on inside the VC's camp office cum residence, the UoH said.
The two faculty members were arrested on March 22 in connection with the episode and consequently a case of criminal offence is under investigation against them, the university said.
Besides, in accordance with the Ministry of Home Affairs' letter under the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964, it is the duty of an employee, who is arrested for any reason, to intimate the fact of their arrest and the circumstances connected therewith to their official superior promptly, even though they might have subsequently been released on bail.
"The two faculty members in question have failed in this respect and hence were issued a memorandum on June 13 requesting them to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them in terms of the CCS(CCA) Rules 1965," UoH said.
University of Hyderabad, being a Central University created by as Act of Parliament, is bound by the Central government rules, the release added.
The University of Hyderabad, popularly known as HCU, witnessed sporadic protests over the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, with protesting students demanding removal of Appa Rao Podile from the VC's post.
Appa Rao was booked under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for abetment of Vemula's suicide. The university has been on the boil since Vemula committed suicide on the campus on January 17, subsequent to which Podile went on a leave amid protest by students.
