http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg08011.html
PUBLIC STATEMENT BY AMBEDKAR PERIYAR STUDY CIRCLE ON DERECOGNISATION BY IITM Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) functioning in Indian Institute of Technology Madras as independent students' body is derecognized by the Dean of students on 22/05/2015 through an email stating the reason "because of the misuse of the privileges" given by IITM as an independent student body. When we met the Dean of students in his office to know the reason for this move on 25/05/2015, he showed a letter from the MHRD dated 21/05/2015 with the ref no. F. No. 5-3/2014-TS-I. The letter stated that the MHRD has received serious complaints regarding the activities of our study circle through anonymous letter. That letter and a copy of our phamplet were attached to it. When we tried to explain our stand to Dean, he was reluctant in hearing any justification and even refused to get into the subject of our pamphlet. He told he can't hear any justification; rather he flipped from 'misuse of privileges given' to 'violation of code of conduct'. But nowhere in his written statement or in oral, he mentioned about violation of code of conduct. When we asked him to mail the MHRD letter, until 26th May afternoon he has not contacted us. Hence we went to his office to remind him to forward the letter to APSC mail. He refused to mail and gave us a partial photocopy of the letters and (The mail from dean, MHRD letter, Anonymous letter and our pamphlet are in our facebook page and scroll.in.) Immediately after getting the letter from MHRD, the IIT administration autocratically derecognized APSC, without going to Board of Students, SAC or Senate or seeking explanation from us on 'misuse of privilege' as given in written or 'violation of code of conduct' as given in oral. We gave a written statement on our stand in derecognizing APSC on the next day to The Director and SAC which was not yet replied by both (This letter officially sent IITM administration is available in our facebook page). But when we announced that APSC is been derecognized by the Institution in our facebook page, which got attention in traditional and social media and nationwide attention from all democratic forces and students, the Hinduthva outfits like H. Raja (BJP), Arjun Sampath (IMK), Gopal (ABVP) came up with statements stating that six month before itself they took decision in their higher committees and pressurized the IIT Madras administration to take action against APSC (Ref. The Hindu, Puthiya Talaimurai). They wondered why IITM delayed in implementing that decision. When everything went public, IITM Spokesperson (?) flicked that APSC is 'temporarily derecogonised' and will consider the evocation only after the vacation; until then APSC can't function. When the public arouse on the autocratic move of IITM in curtailing the freedom of expression of students, today the Director give a statement to media that, he seeked APSC for explanation on 'violation of code of conduct'. SAC went for survey to IITM students on 31.05.2015 that 'whether APSC should function inside IITM?" We hereby declare that except the first email dated 22/05/2015, no communication was given to us from IITM, even though we gave written statement on our stand on this issue. Irrespective of whether APSC is recogonised or not, the chronology of these events happened raise the following questions which seek explanation from IITM, MHRD and the Union Government. * Union government is tight - lipped whenever the state governments write letters seeking its intervention on the issues affecting the common people like FDI on retail, Land ordinance, Methane extraction, pathetic condition of sugar cane farmers, non procurement for Public distribution scheme, installation of nuclear reactor etc... But why it is proactive in intervening the internal affairs of an autonomous higher education institution based on an anonymous letter? * For this financial year there is a huge cut in the allocated fund for higher education in budget. Daily even one article is published in op-eds by eminent academicians regarding the drain of finance for higher education during the Modi regime and the future consequences of it. Even IITM faculties are in trap without knowing how to carry over the running research projects and other academic activities. As on today since no fund has been released. MHRD has not released the fund for research scholars' arrears for the last five months. Ignoring the representations on such important issues, MHRD is proactive in channeling an anonymous letter seeking explanation within a week. The telegraph even reported that the MHRD letter forwarded complaint had a hand-written line by an unnamed official saying: "Unfortunate. IITs were never used for such purposes. Pl get comments." which was hidden by IITM. Is this evidences are not enough to accuse your motive in intervening in the internal affairs of an autonomous institution and the misuse of official power for vested interest? * For the last few years IITM witnessed lot of student movements against the interest of common people of India like anti reservation protest of youth for equality, and the issue when Hindu right-wing student group tried to disrupt the programme by not allowing Teesta Setalvad to complete her answers. IITM admin was mum always favouring the interest of right wing rather than implementing government policy on reservation or democratic right of an activist. Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle is an independent student body which never enjoyed any of the privileges given by institute like that of Vivekananda Study circle to propagate Hindhuthva. So far APSC activities are engaged with the healthy discussion on socio-economic issues on scientific basis to promote the scientific temper among the student which is allowed by the Indian constitution. But without any solid ground you unilaterally and undemocratically suppress our activities without seeking any explanation from our side. For whom you did this to us? We need answers for the above questions. Also still we stand on the point that you have no right to de-recogonise us as APSC functioning inside the campus is not the privilege given by you rather its our democratic right given by the Constitution of India. We thank all our fellow students and democratic forces who stand with APSC to establish our right of freedom to express. APSC TEAM 02.06.2015 Solidarity with APSC: Protest in Dadar station https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m95by2c_kMs -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
