Irked over suspension of four professors including the director of the higher education department, on charges of admission-related malpractice, National Students Union of India (NSUI) members protested and burnt the effigy of State Higher Education Minister and Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Paraisad (ABVP) on Sunday. The protesters threatened to intensify their protests across the State unless the decision is withdrawn. The members of Uttarakhand Ministerial employees’ federation have already warned that they will abstain from work and intensify their stir from Monday to protest against the order. The four who were suspended by the Government order on Thursday are the State Higher Education department director BC Malkani, MB Government PG College, Haldwani (Nainital) principal Jagdish Prasad, Government College, Devidhura (Champawat) principal S S Uniyal and MB Government GP College, Haldwani assistant principal N K lohani.
On Sunday, the NSUI members assembled at Astley Hall and shouted slogans against state education minister and ABVP and later burnt an effigy in protest. State NSUI president Mohan Bhandari alleged that such a decision had been taken due to pressure from the ABVP. The ABVP should fight against the NSUI through the students union election and not by targeting teachers.
He condemned the act of ABVP in which its members had allegedly misbehaved with and manhandled the teachers and other staff of MB PG College, Haldwani, when they were protesting at the college campus in demand of withdrawal of suspension of four professors on Friday and Saturday. NSUI also criticised the State Government’s decision over suspension of four professors and stressed that such action against teachers would not accepted.
He stressed that the NSUI stands in support with the agitating teachers and employees of the higher education department.
Bhandari warned that NSUI members would protest across the state over this issue if the suspensions are not revoked.
Others present on the occasion were NSUI members Shyam Singh Chauhan, Saurabh Mamgai, Bhupendra Negi, Dimple Shaili, Udit Thapliyal, Amit Kumar, Kamal Singh, Mansi Rana, Nitin Chandila, Subham Chauhan and others.