Noam Chomsky among 261 academics write to President Murmu on axing of Bengal prof

Academics, including linguist Noam Chomsky, have written to President Droupadi Murmu about the service termination of Visva Bharati professor Sudipta Bhattacharya and sought her intervention.

The 261 signatories have expressed “deep concern” at the termination order served to Bhattacharya, who besides being a teacher of economics at the university, is also the president of the university’s faculty association.

Referring to a letter addressed to Bhattacharya (on the proposed discontinuation of service/contract) directed by the university’s vice chancellor, the petition says: “...a series of ‘misconducts’ have been listed without specifying either the dates and other details of the incidents or the specific actions for which the professor has been indicted.”

‘No proper inquiry’

The petition claims that the university didn’t conduct a proper inquiry before acting against the professor and hasn’t issued him a show-cause notice. It said the faculty member has been asked to submit his representation, if any, on the issue, within 15 days.

As the visitor, and “custodian of the statutes and ordinances” of the university, the president has been urged to intervene in the matter, it said.

The university couldn’t be reached for comment. However, Bhattacharya claims the allegations against him are “baseless.”