‘Harassment’ of Dalit teacher: SC commission summons MDU V-C

ROHTAK: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has summoned the vice-chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) here in connection with alleged harassment of a Dalit assistant professor in the university.

In a representation to the commission, Jagdeep Kumar, an assistant professor at the department of economics, had said that even as he performed election duty on October 17, 2014, university authorities marked him absent on the said date.

He had earlier lodged a complaint with the university authorities, charging the head of the department (HoD) of economics with mental torture, harassment and discriminatory attitude.

However, HoD Prof Santosh Nandal had levelled counter allegations against Jagdeep Kumar. Following this, the then vice-chancellor had constituted a committee, which had, in its report, stated that the allegations made by the HoD against Jagdeep Kumar had proved to be false. The committee had even recommended that the charge of headship be taken away from her for the “betterment and smooth functioning” of the department, but the university did not implement the report.

The assistant professor then approached the NCSC. During its probe, the commission asked V-C BK Punia thrice to appear before it, but he failed to do so. The commission then issued summons to the V-C, asking him to appear before it for October 26.

When contacted, Punia said, “I could not go for hearings earlier because of urgent meetings. I will try this time if no urgency occurs. We had tried to resolve the matter amicably several times, but couldn’t succeed.”

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SCHEDULED CASTES COMMISSION HAD ASKED V-C THRICE TO APPEAR BEFORE IT, BUT HE FAILED TO DO SO