PRESS RELEASE ON DUTA-DUCKU JOINT DHARNA AT RAMJAS COLLEGE
19 September 2014
The DUTA and DUCKU (Karamcharis Union) jointly held a Dharna at Ramjas College today, demanding action against Ramjas College principal Dr. Rajendra Prasad based on the UGC Fact-finding Report that has indicted him on several charges of irregularities and illegalities in admissions, appointments, financial irregularities and discrimination against employees from the Reserved category. A large number of teachers, non-teaching employees and students from the college joined the DUTA and DUCKU and participated in the Dharna. The Joint Resolution issued by the DUTA and DUCKU, on this occasion, is shared below:
DUTA-DUCKU Joint Press Statement on Ramjas College
For close to two decades now, the Ramjas College principal Dr. Rajendra Prasad has managed to dodge disciplinary action by higher authorities due against him for his established misdeeds and illegalities in the manner of running the college. The latest indictment comes from a Fact-finding Report submitted by a high-level UGC Fact-finding Committee (constituted under order by the Delhi High Court) in May 2012. Over two years have passed since the submission of this Report but ‘appropriate action’ is yet to be taken against the Ramjas College principal. Meanwhile, those employees who have tried to openly resist or draw attention to his nefarious mode of functioning have been victimized; inquiries and suspensions have been ordered against them and they continue to be subjected to administrative harassment on a daily basis. The Ramjas College Governing Body’s failure to take suo motto cognizance of the UGC Fact-finding Report and initiate disciplinary proceedings against the principal points towards a complicity of the managing trustee Ramjas Foundation in many of the illegalities that have been established beyond doubt. The DUTA and DUCKU jointly demand the intervention of higher authorities like the UGC and University of Delhi to ensure that action is taken against the principal on the basis of the several adverse conclusions found in the UGC Fact-finding Report.
1. Between 2008 and 2012, three formal Inquiries have been instituted to look into allegations of a serious nature against the Ramjas principal. The first of these, undertaken was undertaken by the DU Review Committee, related to the financial irregularities and unapproved payments made to certain “privileged employees.” The Ramjas College administration did not give access to many records and files during this Inquiry and instead, raised objections to the jurisdiction of the University over the college. A compromise was reached by instituting a Governing Body-appointed committee, the Sapra Committee. The Sapra Committee submitted a diluted Report on its findings, which effectively overlooked or ignored much evidence pointing to foul-play in the matters of Appointments, Admissions, implementation of the Reservation Roster, awarding of Contracts and other irregularities related to Finance and Accounting. The unsatisfactory and ambiguous conclusions of the Sapra Committee led to a Writ Petition filed by the DUFAD (W.P. (C) 1922/2011). Responding to this Writ petition, the Delhi High Court ordered the UGC to start a high-level Inquiry against the Ramjas principal in May 2011. The findings and conclusions of this Committee, headed by Retd. Justice Sathyam, clearly establish malafide intent, fraud and statutory violations in the administrative functioning of the principal Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
2. The UGC Fact-finding Committee Report reveals startling information related to the illegal manner in which teachers and non-teaching employees have been appointed since the 1990s. Undue favours have accrued to individuals in the form of creating fictitious posts (not approved by University or UGC), overlooking eligibility criteria, not holding proper Interviews and Selection Committees, recruiting more than one individual and paying more than one salary for the same post, making other favoured payments and incurring financial liabilities, as well as fudging the minutes, the date and time of interviews, appointments and joining of work in order to manipulate seniority of position.
3. The Report reveals a series of manipulations in the Reservation Roster for appointments of teaching and non-teaching employees. These manipulations follow a pattern of discrimination against candidates from the Reserved categories, i.e. SC, ST and OBC in order to favour General category aspirants. In one of the cases featuring manipulation in the year 1993, an SC woman-employee’s Temporary Appointment as Sweeper-cum-Attendant was wrongfully terminated in order to accommodate a male aspirant from the General category. The principal’s involvement in this case of manipulation was established by the Delhi High Court and guilt was admitted on his part. However, no action was taken against this brazen act of discrimination.
4. The UGC Fact-finding Report has also recorded many instances of irregular Appointments in teaching posts in which the University was “conned into granting recognition” to certain favoured candidates.
5. An employee of the private trust body Ramjas Foundation was illegally absorbed in the position of the Section Officer without any proper Interview, and subsequently, was unduly granted VRS and Gratuity even though he was ineligible for the same.
6. Between 1996 and 2011, at least 12 established cases of illegalities in Admissions have been recorded. Misuse of the Discretionary Quota to accommodate favoured individuals from influential families has been recorded as well. Students have been admitted into courses even ten days before the Examinations. A B.A. (Pass) student has been allowed to appear for examinations leading to a degree in B.Com. (Programme). Such instances also feature among the established illegalities committed by the principal in matters pertaining to Admissions. The Report notes that the University was led to ban Discretionary Quota in Admissions for all colleges, as a result of the Ramjas principal’s blatant misuse of the Quota.
7. In the case of the Appointment of Vice-principal Dr. B.N. Ray, no approval was taken from the University. Important eligibility criteria were overlooked and the Report states that “unimaginable latitude” was given to him in consideration of his personal intimacy with the principal. He was subsequently accused of sexual harassment and put under suspension, pending Inquiry. However, he continued to get pay benefits and avail of his official residence in the Staff Quarters. No punitive action was taken against him even as the College Complaints Committee found him guilty under the provisions of Ordinance XV-D.
8. Many instances of unauthorised ‘Conversion of Funds’ amounting to over 1 crore rupees, from one head to another, have been recorded in the Report. These cases of unauthorised transfers made from one fund-head to another had also been established by a Special Audit but no action was taken.
9. In awarding construction contracts worth over 4 crore rupees, the Report has found that the principal refused to issue Tenders. These contracts were awarded to a favoured company, Asha Enterprises, at the discretion of the college architect, L.S. Mann.
10. The College Provident Fund Committee did not have adequate representation of employees. In fact, the Report notes that not a single non-teaching employee was included in the Committee. It describes the functioning of the Committee as “lacking in transparency in matters related to Provident Fund” and the interests generated thereof, and holds the principal squarely responsible for the same.
The Ramjas College principal Dr. Rajendra Prasad has protected himself from disciplinary action and continued to indulge in illegal activities, thus far, by actively lobbying in the Governing Body, courting the favour of a section of employees to whom he has extended undue financial privileges, and by ruthlessly victimising those who have dared to speak up against his atrocities.
One such case is that of the erstwhile Teacher-in-Charge of the Department of Commerce, Mr. Dhani Ram. Mr. Dhani Ram belongs to the SC category and has been consistently opposing the principal’s attempts to manipulate the Reservation Roster. Motivated charges of “Insubordination” and “Sexual Harassment” (from which Mr. Dhani Ram was subsequently exonerated) had been registered against him and he was divested of his Teacher-in-Chargeship without due process in a departmental meeting that was convened at the express behest of the principal. Instead of responding sincerely to his plaint against the principal and paying attention to similar indictments in the UGC Fact-finding Report, the Governing Body of Ramjas College was made to record a case of “Insubordination” and institute an ex-post facto Inquiry invoking the Code of Conduct against Mr. Dhani Ram.
The DUTA and DUCKU condemn this victimisation of Mr. Dhani Ram as well as wrongful suspensions of other non-teaching employees who have refused to cooperate or connive with the principal in his illegalities. The DUTA and DUCKU demand that the Inquiry against Mr. Dhani Ram and wrongful suspensions of non-teaching employees be withdrawn forthwith and appropriate action be initiated against Dr. Rajendra Prasad without further delay. The failure to do so will invite continued and coordinated direct action against the Ramjas principal, by the two unions.
(NANDITA NARAIN)
President, DUTA
(RAJPAL)
President, DUCKU
https://duta.live
Leave a Reply