DU teachers go on strike over non-payment of salaries

NEW DELHI: Thousands of Delhi University teachers went on a strike on Thursday to protest non-payment of salaries for the past six months. The call for university "shutdown" was given by the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) on Tuesday as many employees of the 12 DU colleges, that are 100 per cent funded by Delhi government, alleged that they had not received their salaries and other dues for over six months. "We don't want our students to suffer, that is why we didn't take this drastic step for the longest time.

But then we were not left with an option as many employees -- teaching and non-teaching -- have not been getting their salaries and pensions for the last six months now. "We just want the concerned authority to release our funds and pay our salaries. For other issues, we can always sit and talk," DUTA president Rajib Ray told PTI.

The strike, which began on Maha Shivratri -- a restricted holiday in the Delhi University -- would intensify in the coming days, with teachers taking to the streets on March 15, DUTA said. The DUTA will also hold meetings with Delhi University and College Karamchari Union (DUCKU) and DU Students' Union (DUSU) by March 13, he said.

"The DUTA will hold a 'Adhikar rally' from the VC office to the CM residence on March 15 and another march from the VC office to the LG's office on March 18," read a statement issued by DUTA. The other important issue, as per the DUTA statement, is the merging of the College of Art with the Ambedkar University, Delhi after it was de-affiliated from the DU.

DUTA claimed the decision was taken "without consulting stakeholders and without due processes”. It also asked other staff associations to hold meetings to "mobilize for the action programmes and send feedback" by March 19. The DUTA executive will decide the future course of action on March 20, it added.

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