Visva-Bharati University’s decision to deduct half-day salary to repair the Upasana Griha has not gone down well with employees who had sent their written objections to the move.

Disgruntled employees claim varsity authorities allegedly overruled their written objections to deduct the half-day’s salary.

Sources said Visva-Bharati through a notice on October 3 informing its employees that half day’s salary would be deducted as voluntary contribution to the “Development fund of Upasana Griha”. The notice asked those willing to contribute to email their consent and those unwilling to do the same. “Around 200 employees, mostly teachers, had sent individual emails about their unwillingness, But varsity authorities in an unethical manner deducted half day’s salary from everyone,” said a senior professor. Varsity officials said it was due to a technical snag.

They had received around 22 emails expressing unwillingness to contribute to the fund, authorities claimed. Officials said the money would be refunded to them with the next month’s salary. “There were technical reasons and being in the midst of the festive season we couldn’t prepare the list of those unwilling to contribute. Those who appealed will get the deducted amount refunded with their next month’s salary,” said a varsity official.

Protesting teachers termed illegal the way of deducting salary by overruling objections and said they would move court.

“The issue is not whether the varsity will reimburse or not. We will move court over the manner in which salary has been deducted without consent,” said a teacher.