Indefinite strike at Shantiniketan

V-C resorts to fast on the campus

The non-teaching employees of this prestigious central university have resorted to an indefinite strike, pressing for a CBI inquiry into the doings of vice-chancellor Rajat K Roy and reopening of the probe into the mysterious disappearance of the Nobel medallion since Saturday last.

When the strike, which unprecedentedly has the backing of the university teaching staff, has led to the suspension of all classes, the V-C has resorted to a fast under the shade of a tree on the Vishwa Bharati campus demanding justice.

Worst hit

Even though the students are the worst-hit victims of the current goings-on in the university, neither side is ready to blink and bat an eyelid.

To put the seal of approval, the teachers’ forum, too, joined the agitation from Sunday, a development unprecedented in the history of the university.

With the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee acting president Subrata Mukherjee holding a meeting with the agitating employees at the Shantiniketan, the issue took little time to take a political turn. Calling the vice-chancellor as a mad person, Mukherjee demanded his immediate resignation.

“This is a different movement; it’s a movement to save the institution and not one to corner profit,” Mukherjee told the Deccan Herald here on Monday.
“I’ll definitely raise the charges of corruption against the vice-chancellor when I meet the prime minister who is the chancellor, and HRD minister Kapil Sibal in New Delhi.”

Intervention sought

Railway minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee who expressed her unhappiness over the total suspension of academic activities, decided to write to Sibal for urgent intervention of the Centre to end the stalemate.

When reached over phone, a spokesman of the Karmi Sabha that enjoys the support of both the teachers’ association and students’ community, vowed to continue the indefinite strike till Roy submits his resignation.

Asked about the offer of the Vishwa Bharati steering committee for a high-level Central probe into the allegations of corruption, he wondered how a probe can be conducted by the person against whom serious charges have been levelled.