Srinagar, March 01: Teachers at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Rajouri, have threatened to go on a hunger strike from Monday if the authorities fail to revoke the “illegal” suspension of BGSBU Teachers’ Association president, Dr. Parvez Abdullah.
Dr. Abdullah, an assistant professor in the Department of Management Studies, was suspended a few days ago without being served a show-cause notice, as mandated by rules governing staff suspensions, according to faculty members who have already launched a pen-down strike to press for their demands.
According to the protesting association members, Dr. Abdullah’s suspension was arbitrary and aimed at suppressing a potential move by the Association to seek Vigilance and Crime Branch inquiries into recent faculty promotions in the Nursing department, allegedly made “in gross violation of UGC or Nursing Council norms.”
“Targeting the faculty president, who has a clean track record in academics and research and is a hardcore nationalist, is nothing but an attempt to intimidate the staff and silence voices against corruption in the university, particularly concerning the recent illegal promotions granted to the Nursing faculty,” the association members said.
They have demanded the immediate and unconditional revocation of Dr. Abdullah’s suspension order.
Notably, Dr. Abdullah’s suspension comes barely a month after the university authorities issued an official clearance in writing, certifying that “as per our records, there is no vigilance/disciplinary inquiry pending against him in the university.”
Dr. Abdullah’s suspension has also drawn concern from civil society members in Rajouri, who have already criticized the recent removal of JKAS officer Shahbaz Mirza as BGSBU Registrar.
“Shahbaz Mirza was doing a commendable job in streamlining the university’s administrative system, which was in complete disarray. Being a local, he had a deep understanding of the institution’s needs, but unfortunately, he wasn’t allowed to continue even for a full year,” said civil society members.
Sources said some faculty members have met the current Registrar, BGSBU (a position currently held by the Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri), to convey their demands. If their concerns are not addressed, the hunger strike will begin on Monday.
Meanwhile, BGSBU authorities remain tight-lipped about why no show-cause notice was issued to Dr. Abdullah before his suspension. Faculty members pointed out that he was on leave when the suspension order was issued and was subsequently attached to the Nursing College in Kishtwar.
“It is both unfortunate and illegal that a senior faculty member has been suspended in this manner and attached to a Nursing College under a junior,” faculty members stated.
The Teachers’ Association has already submitted a memorandum to the Vice Chancellor, urging him to revoke the suspension order, arguing that such actions are “detrimental to the smooth functioning of the university.”
When contacted, BGSBU spokesperson Maria Aslam denied that the faculty was on a pen-down strike. However, she confirmed that the authorities were in touch with faculty members, who have given the university until Monday to resolve the issue.
“Maybe there will be a positive outcome by then,” she told Greater Kashmir over the phone.
Registrar BGSBU, Abhishek Sharma, stated that since the matter pertains to academics, it is being handled by the Vice Chancellor.
However, Dean of Academic Affairs, Prof. M. J. Warsi passed the responsibility to the Registrar, stating, “This is an administrative matter, and it does not fall under my purview.”
“It wouldn’t be relevant for me to comment on the issue,” he told Greater Kashmir.
