Resolution of General Body of AMUTA dated 6th May 2010

ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION

Jamshed Siddiqui

Hony. Secretary


Teaching Staff Club

A.M.U., Aligarh-202002

0571-2700777 (R)

09897267054



May 8, 2010



Resolution passed by the General Body of Aligarh Muslim University Teachers’ Association (AMUTA) in its special meeting held on 6.5.2010 at 8:00 P.M. in the Staff Club.



Item no. 1

This meeting of the General Body of the AMUTA is of the firm view that its members and students of the University are continuously under surveillance through what has now come to be known as the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) employed over and above the existing watch and ward staff. The addition of more than seventy CCTV cameras has intensified and changed the nature of surveillance immensely. The General Body felt that this surveillance of the campus apart from creating a sense of insecurity and harassment also sends the message that the campus is a den of criminals and anti-national elements, to keep an eye on whom high tech surveillance is absolutely necessary. No other campus in the Country has such extensive surveillance. The more disturbing aspect which has come to light is that police and intelligence agencies have been a party to the decision of creating a high tech surveillance of the campus, in short of the Muslim intelligentsia, infringing on the autonomy of the University. The surveillance system is viewed with suspicion on campus as if the UPA government is a party to it. The General Body further learnt from the recent AG(UP) report that this high tech surveillance is financed through re-appropriation of University funds that could have been more gainfully employed to enhance research and academics in the University. The incidents of September of 2007 are made an excuse for such intensive surveillance while not implementing the decision of the Executive Council to constitute a single judge inquiry commission to pin the culprits.

This General Body out-rightly rejects the entire surveillance system operating on the campus and resolves that CCTV apparatus and structure and the so called LIU operating on the campus be dismantled immediately.



Item no. 2

This meeting of the General Body of the AMUTA took note of the various disciplinary proceedings pending against teachers. The General Body strongly felt that these arbitrary proceedings are conducted ignoring the law and principles of natural justice as a means of harassment of teachers. Some teachers are under suspension for several years while others are facing inquiry committees for several years. There are teachers recommended for promotion by statutory selection committees but there appointment orders are kept in abeyance on the pretext of inquiry being contemplated/ held against them in sheer violation of verdict of the Supreme Court of India (2007). The University is not willing to

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act even in cases where the inquiry reports have been submitted. Of such cases the most shocking and outrageous is the case of (Late) Dr. SR Siras. The University administration has preferred not to convene a condolence meeting for the departed soul. The University did not revoke the suspension of Dr. Siras despite the High Court judgment of 1st April 2010 staying the order of suspension. The revocation order was served on 8th April 2010, i.e., a day after the death of Dr. Siras. Further, the University has cold shelved the entire case and is stoically not making an effort to complete the inquiry in the whole episode.

The General Body demands reiterating its earlier resolutions to immediately revoke the suspension of teachers, to expedite the inquiries and issue appointment orders. The General Body will have no other choice but to adopt agitational means after the summer vacation in an effort to get justice.

The Proctor himself confessed before the General Body that he invaded the privacy of Dr. Siras, moreover by not registering FIR against so-called stingers, the attitude of the University administration is crystal clear. The General Body feels that the University administration is morally responsible for the tragic death of Dr. Siras and resolved to constitute a three member Fact Finding Committee to submit a report on the events leading to the death of Dr. Siras to be constituted by the Executive Committee.

The General Body further felt that the Public Relations Officer rushes to the press to issue statements which brings disrepute to the teaching community. The General Body in the strongest possible terms condemns this and demands that the Public Relations Officer should be restraint from rushing in this manner in future.

Arising out of discussion the General Body resolved to prepare a white paper on the present University administration and to take delegations of its senior members to meet the President of India, Prime Minister and Shrimati Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson UPA, to apprise them of the plight of the AMU community and the state of affairs on the campus.

Mystery shrouds death of AMU gay teacher

Aligarh, April 8 (IANS) Mystery shrouds the death of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) gay teacher S.R. Siras with a police official saying Thursday that preliminary investigations revealed that he died “an unnatural death” while the autopsy failed to fix the exact cause of death.
Superintendent of Police Man Singh Chauhan told mediapersons that preliminary investigations had revealed the teacher “died an unnatural death”. “The post-mortem report will come after detailed forensic examination,” he added.

However, police Inspector R.C. Sharma told reporters at a different meeting, “The exact cause of the death is still not clear even after the post-mortem.”

“The viscera has been preserved that would be sent for forensic examination. Hope it would establish the cause behind the death,” he added.

Shrinivas Ramachandra Siras, 62, was found dead in his home here Wednesday. He was suspended by the university administration on charges of “gross misconduct” on campus after he was filmed engaging in consensual homosexual act with a rickshaw puller.

The police have not ruled out suicide by the teacher. His body was lying on his bed and blood was oozing out of his mouth.

The Allahabad High Court stayed Siras’s suspension April 1 and asked the university to file a counter petition in four weeks.

Siras was the chairman of the Department of Modern Indian Languages at AMU and taught Marathi. He had refused to challenge the allegations against him.

Meanwhile, the AMU Thursday clarified that in pursuance of the interim court order, his suspension was withdrawn April 5 and he was reinstated in his post with immediate effect, pending final outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.

AMU Vice-Chancellor Abdul Azis said he had sent the letter for his reinstatement April 5, but the letter reached the department only on Thursday. The VC said he would investigate the cause of the delay.

The university also withdrew the order to Siras to vacate his university house at Medical Colony.

Insiders confided that Siras, a reader in the Modern Indian Languages department, was in utter desperation and feeling terribly isolated as no one came to his aid and he was virtually ostracised by the academic community.

In a statement, Vice-Chancellor Abdul Azis said the university was taken aback at the sudden “painful event” of the teacher’s death and would ensure all help and assistance to the grieving family at this difficult juncture.

Siras was associated with AMU since 1988 as a lecturer of Marathi and was promoted as reader in 2003 under the Career Advancement Scheme.

Meanwhile, the AMU Teacher’s Association (AMUTA) has demanded a high-level probe into the alleged suicide by Siras. “In view of the sensitive nature of the entire incident, an inquiry should be conducted whether by CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) or by a judicial officer,” said Jamshed Siddique, secretary of the AMUTA.

“He was subjected to severe harassment by the university authorities and was under intense mental pressure. To suspend a teacher without conducting a proper inquiry is unjustified and is another instance of the high-handed behaviour of the vice-chancellor,” added Siddique. An emergency meeting of the AMUTA has been convened to take stock of the situation.

However, AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar denied the allegation of harassment of Siras. “The university complied with the high court order pertaining to his suspension but the reinstatement order, issued April 5, could not be handed to Siras as he was out of town,” he said.

On the other hand, Professor Sheikh Mastan, chairman of the Department of Modern Indian Languages, said he had no such information till Thursday morning. When Professor Mastan was given a copy of the reinstatement order by the University registrar shortly before noon, he refused to accept it as a back-dated document.

Ghulam Nabi Azad for Chancellor, NOT AN AMUTA PROPOSAL

It may be a personal opinion of Mr.Jamshed Siddiqui,secretary AMUTA.
No such proposal  has been even discussed in the general body of the Association. In fact
a vast majority of teachers and Muslims in general is aghast at the idea of
polticization of AMU campus ,be it invitation to Mr Rahul Gandhi or any other
pure politician.

Both the pro VC and anti VC groups are trying to appease the ruling party to settle
their political scores at the cost of the institution.

I will suggest Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad to read a very revealing interview by
some British socialactivist working in Kashmir for the past 20 years,published in
Times Of India on 29th January. She has been helping mentally ill people.
Her data based study reveals that in 1989 there was only one Mental Hospital
in the valley and on the average only patient was treated daily,by 1995 the figure
reached 350 patients a day and now 90% population is affeccted by some Mental Disorder.

I will request Mrs Soniya Gandhi to send Mr Azad to Kashmir to heal his brothers
and sisters .It will be far better for the health of her party and the people.