http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/sep/070910-Delhi-University-principal-Dalit-teacher.htm
Caste chauvinism in Delhi University By: Amit Singh and Vatsala Shrangi Date: 2010-09-07 Place: Delhi Principal allegedly targets Dalit teacher for demanding his ouster The caste map of India just got bigger. The new addition, though, would take a lot of people by surprise. Delhi University has allegedly joined the so-called caste chauvinists of states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. An embattled principal of a Delhi University college, who is already facing charges of sexual misdemeanour, has allegedly made a casteist comment against a Dalit teacher. Dr Vijay Sharma, principal, Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University, has been charged with abusing a Dalit teacher of his institution by calling him names. "On August 31, I was standing along with some teachers who were protesting against the principal on some issues in the college verandah. I reached the spot after taking my class and was standing with two of my colleagues when a peon told me that the principal has asked for me," Dr Surendra Kumar, ad-hoc lecturer, Hindi, said in a written complaint to the staff association, a copy of which is with MiD DAY. "The principal threatened he would sack me. He misbehaved with me and said 'Gaon mein hote to joote hi banate, yahan padane aaye ho ya rajneeti karne?' (If you had not come to a city, you would have been making shoes back home in your village. Are you here to teach or play politics?"Dr Kumar alleged in his complaint against the Dr Sharma. The ad-hoc Dalit teacher said the mistreatment at the hands of the principal caused him immense emotional hurt. "I am aghast. Why did he target only me?" "I am under extreme emotional stress. I am afraid the principal will suspend me. I am the sole bread winner of my family and I seek the help of the staff association," the complaint by Dr Kumar read. All but two of the 47 permanent facult y members of Ram Lal Anand College have been on an indefinite strike since August 26, calling for an independent investigation into the "misdeeds" of their principal. The faculty has put out a "chargesheet" against Sharma, calling for him to be sent on leave pending enquiry. It also mentions gender harassment complaints filed by three senior women faculty members early this year. "The latter (Apex Complaints Committee, Delhi University) refused to make it a prima facie case of gender harassment without giving the complainants (an opportunity) to depose before it," the document states. The college's governing body has set up a committee to look into the allegations made by the women teachers and a report is expected soon. Teachers at the college have not only held the teaching process to ransom but also locked the principal's room for which the police had to be called on August 31. "I don't want to talk about it, but I know that Sharma has threatened Surendra Kumar for joining the protest against him. The manner in which he (the principal) works and behaves with the faculty members, especially women, is very offensive. He often humiliates teachers, shouts at them and call them shirkers,"said Rakesh Kumar, president staff association of the college. The Other Side I have never talked to any body in an offensive manner, whether a Dalit or a non-Dalit. I have so many Dalit friends, I cannot even think like this. I don't even remember talking to somebody by this name (Surendra) in my faculty. This is news to me. This is all trade union tactics to frame me. I just wanted to improve work ethics in the college, but the staff is opposing my reformist agenda. I am a victim and am being harassed by faculty members. At this juncture, I should be the one talking about harassment. I am emotionally beleaguered and traumatized. Things are not normal for me, there is a great amount of uncertainty. - Dr Vijay Sharma, principal, Ram Lal Anand College PAST INCIDENTS * Soon after its release, Madhuri Dixit's comeback vehicle 'Aaja Nachle' was banned by Punjab and Uttar Pradesh governments for using derogatory words in the title song. The song used the word "mochi" (cobbler) in contravention of the SC/ST Act. The ban, however, was soon revoked after the makers of the movie changed the lyrics. * "Billu Barber", the story of a village hairdresser who is a childhood friend of a Bollywood actor played by Shah Rukh Khan, was criticised by an association of hairdressers who found the title offensive. SRK talked to the association of hairdressers and assured them that he would hide the word "barber" from posters and billboards, and bleep out the word from the film, which released in February last year. WHAT THE LAW SAYS According to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 3(1)[x], any person who intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with fine.
