CHANDIGARH: Protesting against forcefully imposed election duty, around 150 professors of Punjabi University from Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's home district in Patiala are likely to contest this Lok Sabha election across the state.
On Thursday, 50 more professors sought permission from the University authorities to contest as Independent candidates. The varsity had permitted 100 candidates to contest the polls.
For the first time, 350 professors and associate professors have been deputed for election duty by the Patiala district administration. A total of 1000 university staff has been put on election duty. From that seat, former union minister Preneer Kaur wife of CM Singh is fighting the elections on a Congress ticket.
Rajinder Pal Singh Brar, a professor from Punjab varsity, said, "the teachers are agitated against the infringement of their constitutional right duly incorporated in the University calendar by putting them on election duties and squarely held the university administration responsible for teachers' election duties. In the past as and when such eventuality arose the university administration successfully managed the affairs. Ironically this time their response is wanting."
As per the University calendar, under this 'right to contest elections', without resigning from the post, the professors can join any political party, propagate any political ideology, support
any political party, comment upon the programs and policies of any government.
Professor Jaswinder Singh Brar convenor of Democratic Teachers Front, said, "we have been called for election rehearsal on Sunday but we will not attend it and sit on protest outside VC office and then decide further course of action. Earlier Professor Teja Singh Tiwana from Janta Dal and Professor Umesh Chander Singh from BJP had fought the elections".
The professors staged a demonstration on Thursday outside the vice chancellor’s office for being forcefully put on election duty.