Over two dozen teaching and non-teaching staff of Visva-Bharati have been suspended or terminated during the two-year-plus tenure of vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty, prompting some students, teachers, staff and alumni to mull a movement against the “whims” of the varsity administration.
Many teachers said Thursday’s suspension of economics professor Sudipta Bhattacharyya, a whistle-blower against Chakrabarty’s decisions, on Thursday showed how “the VC has clamped an atmosphere of revenge on the campus”.
Bhattacharyya was suspended on Thursday for filing a complaint over the appointment of a principal of one of the varsity’s schools. But many of his colleagues said he had been targeted for protesting against VC Chakrabarty’s bid to “saffronise the campus”.
“The present administration has crossed all limits. Most of those punished by the VC protested against his decisions or held views contrary to his beliefs. So, time has come for all stakeholders to join hands and launch a protest,” said Somnath Sow, a UG student of economics at Visva-Bharati and SFI leader.
Before Bhattacharyya, the secretary of the varsity’s employees’ association or Karmi Sabha, Bidyut Sarkar, had been suspended and transferred to Calcutta. “The grudge against Sarkar was that he led a movement to gherao the VC for the unjustified transfer of an employee whose mother was critically ill. The present administration will punish anyone who dares to question...The gag order by the varsity in January last year also intended to suppress protests,” said a professor.
Varsity officials said since Chakrabarty took over as VC in November 2018, at least 24 employees, including 10 senior teachers and a joint registrar, were suspended or terminated on various grounds though there was “room for alternative action” in the Visva-Bharati rulebook.
Even an official close to BJP said the administration ran on the whims of “one person”, indicating the VC.
“Many joint registrars have no work and spend time on irrelevant issues and controversies...We have already informed the party’s higher-ups about the situation on campus,” said the senior varsity official, adding that the “harsh steps” (suspension or sacking) had been taken to send a message that the varsity would not tolerate any opposition...”
A major fallout of these “harsh steps” is the rise in the number of cases filed to question the varsity’s decisions.
Former VC Sabuj Koli Sen, terminated on charges of “tampering with the minutes of the executive council meeting” during her tenure, moved court after being denied retirement benefits by the varsity.
“A dozen cases have been filed during the tenure of the present VC and this is draining varsity funds. This is unwanted when the administration is crying for funds and has even asked teachers and staff to contribute,” said an official.
Many teachers associated with Adhyapak Sabha, a body deemed close to the administration, said off the record that they felt all was not well with the varsity but preferred staying mum fearing punitive action.
Varsity’s officiating public relations officer Anirban Sircar did not take this paper’s calls.
Varsity march to protest sealing of women outfit office
Members of Alapini Mahila Samity and their well-wishers took out a march from Pratichi Picture by Amarnath Dutta
Members of Alapini Mahila Samity and their well-wishers took out a march from Pratichi — the house of Amartya Sen — to central administrative office of Visva-Bharati in Santiniketan on Friday morning to protest against the decision of the varsity to drive them out of their office and allegedly attack them by using the Visva-Bharati Karmi Parishad.
Around 60 people, including office-bearers of the women’s organisation that had been set up in 1916 on the instruction of Rabindranath Tagore, covered a 3km stretch to protest against the varsity’s decision. Visva-Bharati had sealed the organisation’s office on January 1 as its members had refused to vacate the room used by them since 1956. The members of Alapini Mahila Samity said they would continue their movement.
