Duta’s indefinite relay hungerstrike continued on its second day with 11 teachers from various college participating in it. There has been no disruption of classes as teachers have either taken a casual leave or were joining in between classes.
The non-teaching staff union came to the site of the hungerstrike outside the VC’s office and addressed the gathering of teachers and students. In a public address, long-time Duta activist and former AC and EC member Inder Mohan Kapahy criticised the VC for hurtling the university into chaos and anarchy by taking hasty and dictatorial steps to bring about changes which are lacking in accountability.
Former Duta president Vijender Sharma argued, while any university has the public responsibility to ensure that the theoretical and practical foundations of democracy are kept intact in its functioning, the DU VC has put the university in an indefensible position by scuttling the expression of democratic opinion and paralysing statutory systems at all levels.
Taking the response of teachers into account, the Duta has decided to observe a candle-light vigil on Friday between 5 pm and 7 pm to highlight the plight of the 4,000 ad-hoc teachers who have been endlessly awaiting the start to the appointment process.
A total of 22 teachers went on hungerstrike on Wednesday.
On the first day of the strike teachers from various renowned colleges participated.
Duta had written to the VC and sent a notice to police informing them about the strike. “When we came here on Tuesday evening, we were not allowed to pitch a tent. But if the authorities haven’t responded to the letters, that means we have permission,” says Amar Deo Sharma, president, Duta.