The Hindu : New Delhi News : Vice-Chancellor justifies action against JNU students

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Wednesday, Jul 04, 2007
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Vice-Chancellor justifies action against JNU students

Staff Reporter

‘They have been punished for their unruly behaviour’

- Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Making a point: JNU Vice-Chancellor B.B. Bhattacharya (right) addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday. At left is the Registrar of the university Avais Ahmed.

NEW DELHI: Rubbishing the claims of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union on the issue of non-payment of minimum wages to construction workers on the campus, Vice-Chancellor B. B. Bhattacharya on Tuesday said it was a “non-issue” and that the institution had an “exemplary” track record in respect of contract workers.

Addressing a press conference “to set the record straight” on various issues that have kept the campus on the boil lately, Prof. Bhattacharya said: “The disciplinary action taken has been through due process. No extraneous considerations whatsoever have influenced this process as alleged by some persons. A small group of students are hell bent on disrupting the functioning of the University. The punishment has nothing to do with the workers’ issue that they are espousing. Since they do not have a genuine issue, they have taken up this issue of so-called violation of labour rights.”

Confinement

He said the students had been punished for their unruly behaviour of intentional and wrongful confinement of the Registrar in his official car for almost six hours, keeping him without food and water among other things.

Dismissing charges that the punishment was severe, Prof. Bhattacharya remarked: “The confinement of the Registrar was a criminal offence under Section 340 of the Indian Penal Code. We could have called in the police, but we did not. We have been rather magnanimous with them. It is mere rustication and not expulsion and leaves the door open to them to return to JNU after a specific period. In fact, at a meeting of the Deans of Schools and Chairpersons of Special Centres and Centres today, it was said that I was being ‘too soft’ on the students.”

Responding to allegations of violation of workers’ rights, Registrar Avais Ahmad said the university administration had been looking into the issue much before the students’ union began their agitation.

“JNU is not the primary employer in every case. The Central Public Works Department has been the primary employer for most of the construction workers on the campus. But even then the administration has explicitly sought to ensure payment of minimum wages to the contract workers engaged by the CPWD. In spite of our persistent efforts, the students have not provided concrete information about any purported violation of the labour laws,” charged Mr. Ahmad.

Underlining the university’s “commitment’ on the issue, the Registrar circulated a copy of the circular dated January 9, 2007, that said: “All the contractors/ sub-contractors/ manpower providing agencies are hereby directed to ensure that the workers engaged by them are paid as per the rates decided by the Government. Any violation of the rules of minimum wages will attract punitive action, including termination of the contracts, agreements, MoU etc.”

Letter

The letter also mentioned that all the heads of departments or branch in-charges hiring the services or engaging contractors were requested to ensure that payment of wages was made in their presence or that of a nominee deputed by them.

“I had myself written to the CPWD Chief Engineer last November after receiving a representation from the JNUSU complaining that the wages of labourers on the CPWD sites on the campus were not as per the Minimum Wages Act and that other basic amenities like sanitation and drinking water were not being provided to them,” said Mr. Ahmad, showing a copy of that letter.

Vacations

Asked why students were served a show cause notice now during vacations, Prof. Bhattacharya said: “The Proctor’s office called them three times for a hearing between the months of March and April but they did not respond. They were the ones who delayed the matter and are blaming us now. Notices were served once the Proctorial inquiry was completed.”

Hoping that “good sense” would prevail on the students, the Vice-Chancellor said they must withdraw their “illegal” hunger strike. Asked if the administration would forgive the students if they apologised, he said: “It is a hypothetical question. They will have to prove their point. We will see in due course of time.”

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