JAMMU: The Vice Chancellor University of Jammu Umesh Rai has emphatically turn down all the demands of Jammu University Teachers Association (JUTA) citing his helplessness in removal of all those from their discretionary posts whose names are doing the rounds in ongoing mess on the campus following the death of a Associate Professor Dr. Chandra Shekhar of post graduate department of Psychology.
The Executive Council of JUTA led by President Pankaj Srivastav have held marathon meeting with VC who returned from Delhi on Tuesday. Threadbare discussion between the JUTA and VC failed to arrive at amicable solution as all the demands projected by JUTA were rejected by the later .
With main demand of CBI probe into Shekhar’s death , the JUTA is on pen down strike since Thursday for removal of Registrar Arvind Jasrotia, Dean Students Welfare Prakash Anthal, CASH committee Convenor Alka Sharma and HoD Psychology Arti Bakshi pending inquiry by the investigating agencies.
Refusal by VC came as a shock for us. For restoring the tattered confidence of agitating students and shaken faith of stakeholders as well civil society members, the situation warrants that all prime facie officers allegedly responsible in provoking the deceased to commit suicide should be relieved of their administrative positions for free and fair inquiry by the investigative agency. This is expected from every mature administrator to diffuse the volatile situation, said JUTA member.
By plainly refusing to acknowledge our genuine demands It appears the VC under the influence of coteries is again acting in haste and this stubborn stance will lead to stalemate on campus between the agitating students/teachers and varsity administration, said another JUTA member.
Following failure of talks due to unrelenting posture of VC, the JUTA has decided to continue with complete pen down strike and has also called for an emergency meeting on Wednesday at 11.30 am on the campus to chart out further course of action in support of their demands.
Confiding anonymity a member of JUTA executive council said that VC while expressing his limitation for removal of officers has implore JUTA to convince officers in question to demit their respective posts in the larger interest of varsity.
Meanwhile, the VC while endorsing the anguish and grief of agitating teachers over tragic death of Dr. Chandra Shekhar has appealed JUTA to call off strike till the outcome of the findings of SIT.
Expressing full faith on the “fair” investigation of SIT, the VC further urged all the stake holders and teachers to end their ongoing strike for smooth functioning of academic activities and maintaining the varsity’s “dignity”.