DUTA Press Release: 11.07.2020

Teachers across Delhi University colleges today joined the DUTA Hunger Strike (9 am to 9 pm) in support of their colleagues in the 12 Delhi University colleges that are 100% funded by the Delhi Government. The DUTA strongly condemns the Delhi Government’s withholding of grant-in-aid to these 12 colleges that has resulted in serious financial hardships for employees in these times of the pandemic Covid-19.

The problem is not new and the  DUTA has been highlighting it in the numerous representations submitted to the Delhi Government in the past two years. However, the crisis has become very acute in the last several months with the Delhi Govt taking an obdurate position in its decision to stop grants. Though the Delhi Government recently released some grant, but in most cases, these grants were found to be grossly inadequate. In these difficult times of the pandemic, non disbursal of salaries has led to disruption in the fulfillment of basic needs of food and medicine for employees.

What started as a tussle between the Delhi University and the Delhi Government on the matter of the constitution of governing bodies in these colleges resulted in a bitter fallout with the Delhi Government withholding the grant-in-aid so necessary for the disbursal of salaries to the teaching as well as the non-teaching employees of these colleges.
The hardship of employees is not limited merely to the disbursal of salaries but also to the reimbursement of crucial bills including medical bills. In most cases, the employees are yet to receive the full arrears accruing from the increase in their salaries as per the 7th Pay Commission. Even pensioners are deprived of their much needed source of financial sustenance when these colleges could not disburse their pensions. In the fight between the Delhi University and the Delhi Government, why should employees of these colleges suffer? They don’t have any role to play in the entire crisis and it is really very cruel to make  scapegoats of the innocent employees  and subject them to such torture.

The DUTA strongly disapproves of such anti-employee actions of the Delhi Government and warns the Delhi Government to find other ways to settle issues with the University rather than penalizing employees in this inhuman manner. The DUTA demands that the Delhi Government immediately disburses grants to these 12 colleges failing which the DUTA will step up its agitation in the coming days.

Rajib Ray President, DUTA Rajinder Singh Secretary, DUTA