Shyam Sood
Rajouri, March 3 : Faculty members of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), under the banner of the BGSBU Teachers Association (BGSBUTA), have intensified their protest by declaring a “Fast unto Death” following the suspension of Dr. Parvez Abdullah, the President of BGSBUTA.
Dr. Abdullah, a respected academician and vocal advocate for faculty rights, was suspended under circumstances that the faculty strongly condemned as arbitrary and unjust.
In response, BGSBUTA initially launched a pen-down strike on Friday, bringing academic and administrative activities to a standstill. However, with no constructive response from the university administration, the association has now taken the extreme step of an indefinite hunger strike until the suspension order is revoked. Dr. Abdullah has begun his fast unto death, joined by other faculty members.
The protesting faculty members assert that “The suspension of Dr. Abdullah is not just an attack on an individual but a direct assault on academic freedom, faculty rights, and democratic values within the university.” They have called for immediate intervention from higher authorities, including the Chancellor and the government, to ensure justice prevails.
The situation at BGSBU remains tense as faculty members stand united, refusing to back down until their demands are met. With academic activities disrupted and morale at an all-time low, the administration faces mounting pressure to address the crisis before it further escalates.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Welfare Organisation (IWO), Rajouri, has strongly condemned the university administration’s alleged unconstitutional and unjustified order restricting media coverage of the ongoing protest inside the university premises.
For the third consecutive day, BGSBU teachers remain on a pen-down strike, protesting the suspension of an Assistant Professor, who has also undertaken a hunger strike unto death.
In what has been perceived as an attempt to suppress the truth, the Vice-Chancellor (VC) has barred media personnel from covering the protest, effectively denying them their fundamental right to report. This move is not only undemocratic but also reflects desperation, the IWO observed.
“We demand that the VC immediately revoke this unjustified order and allow media persons to report freely,” said Shafqat Mir, President of IWO.
“The media is not a mouthpiece of the administration but a watchdog of democracy, and it is their duty to report the truth,” he added.
IWO has urged higher authorities to address the grievances of the teachers and resolve the issue amicably to ensure that academic activities resume without further delay.
BGSBUTA Declares ‘Fast unto Death’ in protest against suspension of Its President
