NEW DELHI: Faculty of Motilal Nehru College (Evening) began an indefinite strike over alleged incidents of assault on teachers, hooliganism, trespassing and damage to public property during campaigning for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls, the teachers’ association said on Thursday.
The Staff Association said the protest would continue until its concerns are addressed. Representatives of the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) and teachers from several other DU colleges joined the protest in solidarity, it said.
“The administration or police are not interested in taking any action. But this cannot continue, so we will be on indefinite strike till the incident is addressed,” a faculty member said. “Until further notice, all teachers from the college have joined the strike and all academic activities have been suspended from our side,” the faculty member added.
The protest follows an incident on September 16, the day DUSU campaigning concluded, when a teacher at the college was allegedly assaulted by a student campaigning for the polls. A teacher had alleged that the faculty member was beaten and grievously injured. Teachers said they would file an FIR and boycott election duties.
Mithuraaj Dhusiya, elected member, executive council, DU said, “Enough is enough—first Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, then Faculty of Law and now Motilal Nehru College (Evening) —violence against teachers of DU is increasing. Delhi University administration needs to shed its dilly-dally approach and ensure strongest possible action against perpetrators of violence.”
Abha Dev Habib, DTF Secretary said, “The Principal reported that the College has made several attempts to get a FIR, however, the police have not registered it so far. This is despite the availability of CCTv footage. If true, this is yet another case of impunity to perpetrators. Delhi University cannot be lost to violence.”
Former DU academic council member Rudrashish Chakraborty claimed that this incident was part of a series of assaults by students belonging to political organisations against teachers doing their duty. “No action has been taken against any of the guilty till date: because they enjoy the impunity from the University administration and the ruling party at the centre,” he added.
Regular classes resume at Lady Shri Ram College
Regular classes resumed at Lady Shri Ram College for Women on Thursday, two days after they were cancelled due to concerns over students’ safety following the alleged rape of a minor at Aastha Kunj Park, barely 2 km from the college. LSR has stepped up security measures around its campus following the incident
