FEDCUTA Press Release, 24.02.2019

The FEDCUTA condemns the arbitrary termination of Dr.Manoj Kumar, Assistant Professor of English at the Central University of Haryana, Mahendragarh, by the university administration.The Teachers Association of the Central University of Haryana has rightly pointed out in a press release that the termination effected by a malicious and retrospective application of the UGC regulations of 2009 on a PhD awarded in 2007, despite an exemption certificate being given by the concerned University on the lines of the UGC Regulation of 2010( Fourth Amendment),  smacks of victimisation.

From the press reports and the teachers statement it is clear that Dr.Manoj Kumar, Acting President of the Central University of Haryana Teachers’ Association(CUHTA), is being targeted for his initiatives in forming and building a teachers association in the university.This has involved raising of inconvenient questions against the policies and functioning of the university administration.

The FEDCUTA notes with extreme concern this attack on the constitutional right of freedom of association.The attempt to manipulate rules and regulations combined with stifling of basic constitutional rights seems to have become a hallmark of upcoming universities and is bound to become an obstacle in their future development.We also note that this is not an isolated incident.The FEDCUTA had earlier condemned the banning of a Mahashweta Devi play by the CUH university administration.Indeed the development of a university and muzzling of constitutional rights cannot go hand in hand.

The FEDCUTA demands that Dr.Manoj Kumar’s termination should be immediately revoked and he should be honourably restored to his post.We also appeal to the broader democratic forces that an alert vigil should be kept and so ensure that institutional development of the universities takes place within the ambit of democratic and constitutional framework of the country.