Delhi University’s Ram Lal Anand College has decided to continue the suspension of Professor G.N. Saibaba, who was granted bail early this year in connection with his alleged Maoist links.
After his release from the Nagpur jail where he was lodged since 2014, Prof. Saibaba had requested the college to re-instate him as Assistant Professor, the position he had held.
The college formed a one-member committee to look into the matter and report it to the principal.
The principal’s office, in his reply early this month to Prof. Saibaba’s request, wrote: “After discussing all the aspects of the matter based on the findings of the one-member committee, it was decided by the Governing Body (GB) that your suspension will continue till the finalisation of your case. The same has been approved by the competent authority of the university.”
It also added that Prof. Saibaba’s entry in the college will also be restricted till further orders.
Decision condemned
The Committee for Defence & Release of Prof. Saibaba, an independent body fighting for the professor, has condemned the authorities of the college for denying “Saibaba his right to resume his duties”.
“The letter makes it evident that the GB is trying to frame, criminalise and intimidate Prof. Saibaba, who has been an unrelenting and tireless fighter for the rights of the oppressed and the downtrodden. Furthermore, it should be noted that the GB is truncated, as it has only five serving members out of a total strength of 15,” a statement from the committee read.
“Moreover, the university has not appointed teacher representatives in the GB after the term of the former teacher representatives expired a few months ago,” it added.
The decisions of the GB were arrived at on the basis of a report submitted by one of its members, Umesh Sharma, who was appointed as a ‘One-Man Enquiry Committee’.
“The fact that the report of the panel has still not been made available to Prof. Saibaba shows the clandestine and malafide manner in which the college authorities are acting,” the statement read.
Appeal to V-C
The Defence Committee has demanded that the GB should immediately retract the decisions made by it and reinstate Prof. Saibaba in his teaching position as per the Central Government Employees Rules and various judgements of the Supreme Court.
They have also appealed to the university Vice-Chancellor to immediately intervene and “ensure that justice is meted out to Prof. Saibaba”.
Prof. Saibaba had requested the college to re-instate him as Assistant Professor
Published - July 13, 2016 12:00 am IST
