Central University teachers condemn JMI, Visva Bharati over action against professors, students

NEW DELHI: The Federation of Central University Teachers’ Associations (FEDCUTA) “strongly condemned” the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) administration and Visva-Bharati University over the suspension and termination order issued to professors and students in their institute.

The national executive of FEDCUTA in a meeting held on February 25 unanimously took the resolutions and demanded the universities to revoke the action taken against the teachers and students. FEDCUTA “unequivocally and strongly condemns the actions of JMI administration in strong words, suspending Professor Sonya Surabhi Gupta for serving as Returning Officer – JTA Elections 2022 and dissolving the JTA.”

Jamia Teachers' Association (JTA), which was constituted in the year 1967 as an autonomous body, was dissolved recently. Disgruntled teachers filed a petition against the JMI administration’s decision in Delhi High Court . Justice Prathiba M Singh who heard the case on December 7, 2022, asked the institute to submit a committee report on dissolution of the teachers group and the matter was adjourned to a later date in February.

The JTA was dissolved in November and Sonya Surabhi Gupta of Centre for Spanish and Latin American Studies at JMI was suspended for "unlawfully" taking up the assignment of teachers' association election and declared it as "null and void".

“The University administration's actions are patently illegal and malafide and must be revoked,” FEDCUTA said.

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Demanding the Jamia Millia Islamia vice-chancellor to “not suppress the democratic rights of the teachers to elect representative to JTA”, the association said: “The JTA is a constituent unit of FEDCUTA and therefore, all units of the federation stand in solidarity with the JTA…It also demands from administration to immediately withdraw the suspension of Professor Sonya Surabhi Gupta and to withdraw the Office Order declaring the election process null and void.”

It further said that it is “extremely unfortunate” that teachers of Jamia had to go to court to defend their basic right to free and democratic association.

‘Revoke action against VBU professor, students’

Condemning the termination notice issued to president of Visva Bharati Faculty Association (VBUFA) by the university , the Central University Teachers demanded immediate revocation of the termination notice issued to Sudipta Bhattacharyya and the action taken against students.

“It is unfortunate that teachers, students and administration of a premier University of the country have been under loggerheads and conflict for a long time. This is jeopardising the academic environment of the university and is not acceptable to FEDCUTA,” it said.