Ludhiana: Staff of LR DAV College hold protest over advisory limiting access to staff room
The staff members, under the banner of United Employees Front, said they were asked by the college head to sit in their departments only rather than staff room, for which the circular has been issued twice
Protesting a new directive from the principal of Lajpat Rai DAV College, Jagraon, the teaching and non-teaching faculty members of the college held a dharna on Tuesday, bandaging their mouths with black clothes.
The staff members, under the banner of United Employees Front, said they were asked by the college head to sit in their departments only rather than staff room, for which the circular has been issued twice.
“The salary of teachers on self financed posts is pending for the past 10 months and even the grant-in-aid staff of our college has not been paid their arrears, as 25% of college’s own share is not disbursed to them. Over this, the principal and management has committed to host the Panjab University Zonal Youth Festival 2024 despite the acute financial crunch in the college. The staff, in two separate meetings with the principal, urged him to defer the festival hosting for just one year, as the zone size has remarkably increased and our college lacks infrastructure and necessary upfront funds,” said one of the faculty members.
They added that the protest is a way to request the college head to consider the views of college staff. Raman Sharma, area secretary (Panjab University), Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU), joined the protest and urged the principal to consider the general consensus of the staff and to ensure that staff is involved in decision making of the college.
“I visited the college and was a part of the protest related to an advisory for the college staff to avoid sitting in the staff room along with a decision to host a youth festival this year. I was told by the principal that the circular would be reissued for the staff members clearing the objective and for the youth festival, apart from University and college funds, if there would be any extra expenditure, it would be arranged from some outside resource,” he informed.
However, principal Anuj Kumar Sharma remarked, “The circular was issued for the welfare of the students and quality measures. Staff members have been advised to sit in their departments and not restricted, so that it is convenient for the students to reach out in case of queries. This is only for the members who spend long hours sitting in the staff room, and the fund for salary is different, which cannot be used for youth fest preparations.”
Raman said the staff members will hold a meeting with one of the management members and if the decision is taken unilaterally, without paying heed to the staff members, the union would take a call at the state level. The staff members added that in case the college still decides to host the fest, they would boycott participating in the same.