VCK, TNUEF to step up stir against Madras University V-C

CHENNAI: Close on the heels of a petition to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on alleged caste-based discrimination by the Madras University Vice Chancellor, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TUEF) is planning to intensify agitation against the official.

The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Dalit political party will also be joining in the agitations against the Vice-Chancellor.

The TNUEF had on Monday written a letter to the Chief Minister that the Madras University had invited applications for 23 temporary posts of assistant professors for a period of over 120 days but no reservations were announced for the Most Backward Classes, Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. TNUEF general secretary, Samuel Raj in the letter to the Chief Minister said that according to the law, for any temporary post lasting over 45 days, reservation policy must be implemented.

He said that the interviews for the posts of Registrar, Controller of Examinations, Institute of Distance Education Director, Director of the University Student Advisor Bureau were held but no one from the reserved communities was posted.

Samuel Raj also alleged that a woman professor from the listed community had joined as the head of the Political Science and Public Administration department in July 2021 but was not provided a room.

However, Madras University Vice Chancellor Dr. S.Gowri denied the allegations and said that it was he who had revived the Centre for Dravidian Studies that had not been functioning for the past 12 years. He also said that he had promoted several people from various communities and added that the appointments for temporary posts were held with the consent of the Syndicate. He also said that it was not necessary to follow the reservation policy for temporary posts.

Meanwhile, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) will conduct agitations in front of Madras University against the alleged caste discrimination of the Vice Chancellor.

A senior leader of VCK told IANS that the party does not subscribe to the theory of no reservation in university for temporary posts and said that the party would go forward in agitating against the Vice-Chancellor.