FEDCUTA Press Release: 24.05.2021

   
The Federation of Central Universities Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA) notes with concern and condemns the arbitrary suspension of Dr. Gilbert Sebastian, a faculty member at the Central University of Kerala, by the university administration. 

Dr. Sebastian, a teacher of International Relations and Politics, was suspended for a few remarks he made in an online class on April 19th where he discussed Fascism and Nazism and brought in the issue of proto-fascist organisations in the contemporary history and politics of India and the world. Probably, it is the first time ever in the country that disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against a teacher for the content of an online class.

Now this usage of heuristic categories (like proto-fascist) is common in academic teaching and has been deployed by academics in their teaching and research all over the world. In fact, this method has been used as a diagnostic category to critically analyse political organisations and persons across the political spectrum. Even Winston Churchill, the great anti-fascist warrior did not escape the charge of being fascistic in his colonial policy.

Dr. Sebastian may have his political views which he is entitled to have both Constitutionally and academically so it becomes even more a matter of concern that the draconian CCS rules are brought in to effect his suspension.

The disciplinary proceedings against Dr. Gilbert were initiated in response to a communication from a Member of National Monitoring Committee on Education under the MHRD. This is a naked interference into the autonomy of the University and a violation of the idea of a classroom as an autonomous space of teaching and learning led by the teacher.

The FEDCUTA condemns the deployment of CCS rules in this case and in universities in general as part of a broader anti-democratic agenda. The FEDCUTA demands the withdrawal of CCS Rules in the light of the 2015 judgement by the Allahabad High Court which clearly says that teachers of a Central University are not members of any service. It said therefore that CCS Rules “have no application to a Central University”.

The FEDCUTA demands that the suspension of Dr. Gilbert Sebastian be immediately and unconditionally revoked. The FEDCUTA appeals to all the democratic forces in the country to voice their protest against this suspension by CU Kerala which goes against the very grain of the teaching-learning process.

         Rajib Ray                                                                                                        Milap C Sharma