Arequest sent by Delhi University professor GN Saibaba, who spent two years in jail but now out on bail over alleged links to Maoists, for rejoining Ram lal Anand College has not gone down well with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) whose members on Friday asked him to “get a clean chit first” in order to begin teaching again on the campus.
Also, ABVP members protested against Saibaba’s presence on the campus on Friday and tried “prevent his entry into the college and disrupted the entire programme from 10 am to 4 pm”.
Saibaba was released on bail by the Supreme Court on April 4.
“He cannot teach unless he gets a clean chit from the court. We have presented a memorandum, in this regard to the governing body of the college. He had come to the college some days back and today (Friday) also. But the principal called police to not allow him to enter the premises,” Delhi University Students’ Union joint secretary Chhatrapal Yadav told The Pioneer.
However, the principal of the college, Vijay Kumar, said it was the annual day of the college and anyone could come, “so did professor Saibaba.”
“He is an employee…even if suspended right now we cannot stop him. I had asked him not to come as I was apprehensive that there might be some problem. Police was present already as we wanted the function to go smoothly,” Kumar said.
Saibaba told The Pioneer, “I wanted to attend the annual day function but they (ABVP members) disrupted and created drama. Police were called in and my students protected me. I am the senior teacher and I will continue to go to the college. I have only been suspended. I am a permanent employee and I need to support myself through my job.” The 90 per cent disabled professor used to teach English in RlAC before his arrest.
While the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) is supporting the professor on the issue of reinstatement, a group of students led by members of ABVP is opposing it claiming the move will have a “bad influence” on students.