DABMSA EC
April 19, 2016.
Today, members of the EFL University administration responded to the summons by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Koonal Duggal and other students from EFLU and members of the administration – the Registrar, the Deputy Proctor, the Anti-discrimination Officer and the Dean of Students’ Welfare – deposed before Smt. P. M. Kamalamma, member of the NCSC at the Hyderabad office of the Commission at 4 PM in the evening.
Kamalamma raised issue as the EFL University Vice Chancellor and the Proctor – against whom the complaint was made – failed to appear before the Commission despite being officially summoned. Kamalamma also criticized the EFLU administration for not following due procedure during the disciplinary action taken against Dalit scholar, Koonal Duggal. When asked why Koonal was not intimated of any disciplinary action initiated against him, the Deputy Proctor, Sujatha Mukhri, responded that these lapses were due to the recent visit by the NAAC and because they did not have any knowledge of Koonal’s residential address. Furthermore, the Deputy Proctor claimed that the administration had taken action without knowing that he belonged to a Dalit caste. She also stated that Koonal’s participation in a protest for justice for Rohith Vemula, held outside the University premises, was what amounted to “anti-university” activity.
The administration also came under criticism for not celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar even though there was a circular by the central government notifying that Ambedkar Jayanti should be celebrated in public institutions. The University had, in fact, conducted internal examinations for various departments on April 14th, despite the fact that it was a holiday notified by the central government.
The Commission also took note of the fact that the post of an Anti-discrimination Officer was not even publicly known until today, and questioned why the Officer, Prof. Ved Sharan, had not raised his voice when the incident happened in campus. She has, further, summoned the Commissioner of Police on April 24 in relation to this case. The Vice Chancellor of EFL University, who was absent for the meeting today, has been summoned for another hearing scheduled to be held on April 27th at the Delhi office of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
Our demands
· Arrest Proctor Prakash Kona Reddy on charges of SC ST POA case filed against him
· A public apology by Proctor Prakash Kona Reddy
· Explain the reasons behind the ‘restriction’ order issued against Koonal Duggal
· Withdrawal of ‘restriction’ order issued against Koonal
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Dalit Adivasi Bahujan & Minority Students’ Association (DABMSA)
Students’ Alliance for Justice and Democracy – EFLU (SAJD-E)
Students’ Islamic Organization (SIO)
Muslim Students’ Federation (MSF)
Telangana Students’ Association (TSA)
Students’ Federation of India (SFI)
Allied Students’ Action for Democracy – EFLU (ASAD-E)
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