Burdwan University authorities on Friday issued a gag order preventing faculty and non-teaching staff from speaking to the media or making comments in social media without prior permission.

“All employees of the university are hereby requested to take prior permission from the university authority before giving any statement to the Press/social media in connection with anything about the university,” the order issued by the registrar Sujit Kumar Chowdhury reads.

The decision had been taken by the varsity’s executive council. Burdwan University is the second educational institution in Bengal after Visva-Bharati to issue such a gag order. Visva-Bharati authorities had in 2020 come up with such an order that provoked protests among employees who saw in it a ploy to stop dissent on the campus. The order from the Burdwan university authorities came at a time when multiple allegations against the varsity, including allowing students for an examination without admit cards and engaging an agency by spending Rs 22 crore to prepare marksheets and certificates, have been raised.A large section of teachers and non-teaching employees said the gag order was nothing but an effort to suppress the right to free speech and expression. Some even took to social media to announce that they would not abide by the varsity gag order.

“We were surprised after we saw the notice by the authorities that prevented us from speaking before the media and from making comments in social media without permission. The order certainly violates the right to freedom of speech and expression. We will certainly protest against such a gag order. It is really unfortunate,” said Bhaskar Goswami, a teacher and member of Burdwan University Teachers’ Association (BUTA).

“It is also in violation of the ordinance of the university that allows free speech for the employees, including its organisations,” Goswami added.Sources said BUTA members would hold an online meeting on Sunday to discuss the organisation’s future course of action against the order.

“We condemn the order of the authorities and our organisation will raise its voice against the order,” said Debamalya Ghosh, a member of West Bengal University Officers’ Association. Contacted, registrar Sujit Kumar Chowdhury declined to comment.“I would not make any comment in this regard,” he said.

A section of varsity officials, however, said the order was the result of recent outpour of criticism of BU authorities and its alleged irregularities in public and in social media by several officials not connected with the issues.“On several occasions we have found that officials or teachers are publicly critical of the varsity authorities and this led to the controversial order,” said a varsity professor.