DUTA Press Release: 28.04.2020

Teachers across Delhi University colleges today observed a day-long Hunger Strike (9 AM to 5 PM) from home under the banner of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association. The DUTA has given this call in the light of the fact that salaries have not been paid for several months now to the employees of 12 Delhi University colleges that are funded by the Delhi government. The Delhi Government has so far not cared to respond to the repeated pleas by the DUTA for immediate release of salaries in these unprecedented times. Teachers found innovative ways to communicate their anger using social media like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter and online platforms such as Zoom, etc. and to protest against the injustice meted out to the colleagues of these 12 colleges.

For many months, Delhi University and Delhi government were locked in a bitter fight over the formation of the governing bodies of these 12 colleges. Things reached a major flashpoint when the Delhi government withheld the grants to these colleges required for disbursal of salaries, pensions and other financial dues to all employees. The DUTA strongly condemned this linking of formation of governing bodies to the sanctioning of grants and wrote several representations to the Delhi government in this regard. When grants were finally released after much delay by the Delhi government on 25.03.2020, it was found to be insufficient to pay salaries, pensions and other financial remittance. The DUTA again wrote to the Delhi government reminding of this financial crisis in these 12 colleges. It is extremely unfortunate and painful to note that 3 colleges – Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, Keshav Mahavidyalaya and Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied Sciences – have not paid the salaries of March and will not be able to pay salaries of April to their employees. Other colleges will also fail to pay salaries for April if grants are not immediately released.

It is extremely shocking that the Delhi Government is penalizing the employees of these colleges, and has not responded to the appeal to release salaries in these stressful times. Withholding of salaries even at normal times is unwarranted but at a time when the entire nation has come together to unitedly fight this COVID-19, the Delhi government is failing to discharge its duty in the matter of sanctioning of grants to these 12 colleges. The DUTA warns the Delhi government that if the grants are not immediately released, it will further intensify its agitation in the coming days to ensure that all employees are paid their salaries and dues.