The Tribune, DUTA steps up pressure with relay hunger strike

The resolve of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) to intensify pressure on the Vice-Chancellor came forth today in the form of a relay hunger strike outside his office.

Eight teachers, including the DUTA president, vice-president and other members of the executive were involved in the demonstration.

The decision to organise relay hunger strike and dharnas outside the VC’s office was taken at the DUTA General Body Meeting yesterday, which was attended by over two thousand teachers. The move was aimed at ensuring that the V-C upholds the Ordinance XIII of the Delhi University, which sets the workload of teachers at 15 hours. The General Body of DUTA had condemned the Vice- Chancellor for delaying the completion of proceedings of the Workload Committee and bowing to the pressures of the UGC, thereby jeopardising the autonomous status of the University. It is widely believed that the Workload Committee in a meeting on 9th September had more or less decided to uphold Ordinance XIII but did not release the formal minutes of its meeting at the V-C’s behest. Shaswati Mazumdar, the DUTA president said, “the V-C’s obstinate refusal to convene the Academic Council for resolving of the workload issue is inexcusable.”

The General Body of DUTA had decided to step up pressure on the V-C and planned to sustain the pressure through various means of protest. Apart from dharnas, it resolved to hold a march to the Rashtrapati Bhawan and submit a memorandum to the President of India seeking his intervention.

It also decided to conduct classes wearing black armbands as a sign of protest and to mobilise students support. DUTA has warned the V-C that if he failed to act on their demand, it will be forced to further intensify the agitation.

It has said that the responsibility of such a development and its repercussions on the university will solely fall upon him.