DUTA PRESS STATEMENT: 9.3.2015

The DUTA will hold a Press Conference tomorrow at 1.30 pm to explain the issues pertaining to the Strike.


The DUTA has declared a one-day Strike for tomorrow, 10 March 2015, in protest against the unjust termination of the services of two colleagues from Hindu College. Both teachers were terminated following a biased and premeditated inquiry conducted by the Hindu College Governing Body.


There were several glaring lapses in procedure and violations of statutory provisions, even as the teachers who had been accused of misconduct were denied a copy of the Enquiry Report, and hence denied a chance to defend themselves. Five members of the Governing Body, including two teachers’ representatives of the college and both university representatives, had dissented against the decision to terminate their services. The Vice-Chancellor is on record having previously asked the GB to reconsider the termination on the grounds that it seemed disproportionate to the alleged offense. Yet, without any reconsideration or any new facts pertaining to the matter being brought to light thereafter the VC arbitrarily approved the termination. The DUTA had appealed to him, asking him to set aside the termination and have the teachers reinstated. However, instead of trying to bring the crisis to an amicable closure, the VC has decided to escalate it by ignoring the DUTA’s appeals and instead, issuing a draconian ‘No Work No Pay’ order against teachers who will participate in the Strike and also asking principals to police teachers from class to class in view of the Code of Conduct that has been made actionable against teachers.


The DUTA condemns the VC’s shameless attempt to crush the one-day Strike through the ‘No Work No Pay’ order. He has erroneously invoked the Delhi High Court’s interim order in relation to the M.R. Gupta versus Union of India case and speciously termed the Strike as a transgression of Court Order. The DUTA maintains that the High Court’s interim order was passed in the specific context of the anti-Semester agitations and has no bearing on the present situation. He knows full well that the teachers always compensate the loss of teaching by taking extra classes. Hence, invoking it amounts to hoodwinking the teaching community and trying to sabotage the DUTA’s action programme. This is a repeat of the wage cut imposed against the last one-day strike by the DUTA on 28.8.2012.  The invocation of the Code of Conduct further demonstrates how the VC intends to use it against any democratic action by the teachers’ collective. The DUTA has challenged this brazen anti-democratic Code and is committed to getting it thrown out. Further, the DUTA is of the opinion that the VC has no moral authority to take such action against protesting teachers, especially as ‘Show-Cause’ proceedings against him are already under way and the Government has incriminated him on several charges of financial and administrative misdemeanor. The DUTA appeals to the MHRD to intervene and ensure that this tainted VC is not allowed to crush the DUTA’s democratic protest through such draconian measures. 


The DUTA has reached out to the DUSU and DUCKU and asked both unions to support the Strike. Several students’ organizations have already pledged support for the Strike. The DUTA seeks full cooperation from students to ensure that the Strike is successful. It appeals to every teacher to defy the VC’s desperate backlash and participate resolutely in the Strike. The DUTA has called for teachers’ assembly at Arts Faculty at 11 am from where it will march in protest to the VC’s office.


The DUTA appeals to all reporters from Press and electronic Media to cover the Strike Action and attend the Press Conference at 1.30 pm, at the DUTA Office.