Federation
of Central Universities Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA) condemns
show-cause notices to Central University of Gujarat teachers
FEDCUTA
takes serious note of the manner in which nine teachers of the Central
University of Gujarat have been issued show cause notices by the university
administration. The show cause notices themselves shockingly stem from an
unsigned complaint written on an ABVP letterhead and even more shockingly
forwarded by the MHRD to the university. To make matters worse, the complaint
itself alleges that the teachers concerned were participating in political
activities favouring opposition activities of Jignesh Mevani and the Congress
party in the state.
takes serious note of the manner in which nine teachers of the Central
University of Gujarat have been issued show cause notices by the university
administration. The show cause notices themselves shockingly stem from an
unsigned complaint written on an ABVP letterhead and even more shockingly
forwarded by the MHRD to the university. To make matters worse, the complaint
itself alleges that the teachers concerned were participating in political
activities favouring opposition activities of Jignesh Mevani and the Congress
party in the state.
It
is evident that the complaint and the show-cause notices clearly
constitute attempts to browbeat the university teachers into submission to
the governmental point of view. The Central University of Gujarat is one of the
newly established universities and its teachers and students are in the process
of building up a healthy academic culture which would respect a plurality of
views and cultivate a democratic space to take forward the wider goals of
higher education itself. In recent times we have seen such attempts to attack
academic freedom at fledgling universities like the Central University of
Haryana where the enactment of a play by Mahashweta Devi was sought to be
banned by these very forces. Similarly, in both the old and new universities,
attacks have been made in the name of promoting Marxism or for allegedly
promoting a JNU-like culture.
is evident that the complaint and the show-cause notices clearly
constitute attempts to browbeat the university teachers into submission to
the governmental point of view. The Central University of Gujarat is one of the
newly established universities and its teachers and students are in the process
of building up a healthy academic culture which would respect a plurality of
views and cultivate a democratic space to take forward the wider goals of
higher education itself. In recent times we have seen such attempts to attack
academic freedom at fledgling universities like the Central University of
Haryana where the enactment of a play by Mahashweta Devi was sought to be
banned by these very forces. Similarly, in both the old and new universities,
attacks have been made in the name of promoting Marxism or for allegedly
promoting a JNU-like culture.
The
FEDCUTA strongly condemns these attacks on academic freedoms and the attempts
to bludgeon the democratic build up processes at the Central University Gujarat
and other universities. The FEDCUTA demands the immediate withdrawal of the
show-cause notices and also demands that draconian regulations like the Civil
Services Conduct rules be withdrawn from the Central University of Gujarat and
other universities so that these are not used to curtail academic freedom.
FEDCUTA strongly condemns these attacks on academic freedoms and the attempts
to bludgeon the democratic build up processes at the Central University Gujarat
and other universities. The FEDCUTA demands the immediate withdrawal of the
show-cause notices and also demands that draconian regulations like the Civil
Services Conduct rules be withdrawn from the Central University of Gujarat and
other universities so that these are not used to curtail academic freedom.
The
FEDCUTA has written to the Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Gujarat and
to Shri. Prakash Javadekar, Minister of HRD to communicate its condemnation of
the show-cause notices and demanded its immediate withdrawal.
Rajib Ray Sonajharia Minz
(President FEDCUTA) (Secretary FEDCUTA)
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