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 Rajasthan Court orders FIR against  VC  and 6central varsity teachers under SC/ST Act

AJMER: A Dalit research scholar, Umesh Kumar Jonwal, has levelled charges of arbitrary termination and harassment against seven faculty members of the Central University of Rajasthan (CURAJ), Bandar Sindri in Ajmer district. On Monday, ACJM court, Kishangarh, had ordered FIR against the seven following Jonwal’s complaint.

The court ordered local police to register a case against the varsity faculty under SC/ST Act for harassing a Dalit scholar. Court directed the police to investigate the matter. The accused faculty members are: Jagdish Jadhav, associate professor, department of social work; A K Pujari, vice-chancellor, Central University; J P Singh, former vice-chancellor; A K Gupta, dean of research; R K Pardasani, dean of academics; S N Ambedkar, dean, School of Social Sciences; and Atiq Ahmed, assistant professor.

Jonwal was expelled from the university on October 15 last year for remaining absent from the university continuously for more than 15 days. “There are three letters of expulsion and all have different dates,” Jonwal has claimed in his complaint.

He stated that he was getting a monthly grant for research from the UGC under JRF (junior research fellowship). “There is no provision for scholars to remain present in the university every day,” he said. He alleged that professor Jagdish Jadhav had demanded Rs 10,000 from the him per semester. Jonwal said he deposited Rs 10,000 in Jadhav’s bank account three times, the receipt of which he has submitted in the court.

“As soon as I stopped paying the money demanded by the professor, they initiated action of expulsion from the university,” he said. “I have submitted the illness certificate to the university, however they did not approve of it,” said Jonwal in his application. He said that he was threatened that he will not be able to complete his doctorate degree. “My guide threw my papers out and abused me,” Jonwal alleged.

University’s dean, student welfare, B L Meena, said that the investigation is pending and he cannot state anything on merit. However, he said, “University rules and regulations and applicable procedure in expelling a research scholar from the university have been violated. Clauses 4.7 and 28 of the university ordinance under which the action was taken against Jonwal was not followed.”

He added that research scholars are not required to maintain daily attendance in the university. “Their admission can be discontinued if they remain absent for consecutive 15 days, but the same is regularized after paying a fine of Rs 100.”

However, associate professor Jadhav alleged that Umesh Kumar Jonwal was suspended from the university on grounds of chronic absenteeism. He was not regular since he was enrolled in 2013. “In fact, from the past six months he had not attended any class. Dean academics sent repeated reminders before he was suspended,” said Jadhav. He said that Jonwal had challenged the expulsion before the Rajasthan High Court and National Commission for Scheduled Caste, and it was still pending in the court. “As far as the money bit that he is talking about, there is no record to prove that he has given any amount to us,” he added.