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Friday 12 October 2012

Discrimination on the basis of caste by ousting of Scheduled Caste (Chamar) lone female Assistant Professor from her place of residence in her absence by breaking open lock of her room without any reason and prior notice.

Discrimination on the basis of caste by ousting of Scheduled Caste (Chamar) lone female Assistant Professor from her place of residence in her absence by breaking open lock of her room without any reason and prior notice.

In May 2007, Dr. Indu Choudhary joined as Assistant Professor, Dept. of English, Faculty of Arts, BHU Varanasi (UP). She was discriminated at her place of residence (Faculty Guest House, BHU) since the day she started staying there from July 2007 on the basis of caste. Even though three rooms were earmarked for newly appointed female employees @ Rs. 50/- day, she was not allotted the accommodation as per rules and was sent to the Vice-Chancellor by the warden of the guest house to get permission for staying. When she got the permission, intentionally her allotment was done only for three months, and she was bound to pay Rs. 100/- day for the same room for which other teachers (Non-SC/ST) in the same capacity were paying Rs. 50/- day. For further stay she had again to seek the permission of Vice-Chancellor. This continued for six months. After six months the room rent was raised to Rs. 200/- day reason her being Scheduled Caste.

When she requested the Vice-Chancellor, to continue her stay in the Faculty Guest House as per the BHU notification, On 3rd May 2008 when she was on leave,  the lock of her room was broke open in her absence without any prior notice or information and all her belongings were thrown. When she returned back on 7th May 2008, she found herself helpless as there was no higher authority ready to hear her grievances. As a result she was bound to stay whole night on the roads of BHU as she had no place to stay. It was only after the interference of the police next day that she was restored the accommodation. Partial restoration of belongings and some valuable ornaments and money are still missing as per recorded inventory. She was compelled to undergo a state of mental trauma since she had to stay whole night on the roads of BHU Campus whithout any safety and security. She had never thought of such type of discriminatory behaviour at this level of her career in the institution of national importance.

Caste based remark challenges the whole community. She was abused by the warden as “Chamar Siyar ke rahne ke liye Faculty Guest house mein koi jagah nahin hai”   and the warden who was responsible for all this mischief was rewarded and made the Professor in-Charge of the Central Library, BHU.

This suppression and torture did not end here. She was forced from time to time to vacate the accommodation. In January 2011 she was given a letter asking her to vacate the room or HRA will be deducted from her salary from February 2011. She replied to it accordingly.

In contravention of the provisions of Indian Constitution, a undue deduction of Rs. 27000/- at one stroke, without any reason or prior notice, out of salary of Dr. Indu Choudhary was made in July 2011, still ignored and unheard by the BHU Authority.

When asked the reason a Vigilance Enquiry was setup against her in September 2011. The findings thereof still unexposed. Apprehension of punishment-in future supposed.

Still she is fighting against all these odds in the university and has lodged FIR under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act against the culprit warden and warden-in-charge. In the whole episode the BHU administration and her colleagues seem to veil silence.

She decided to unite the people of SC/ST community so that no other such type of discrimination be initiated in future. it was welcomed by the people there and today the SC/ST employees of BHU including the Group A, B, C & D are  happy under the banner of SC/ST Employees Welfare Association  (SEWA)  BHU, Varanasi of which she is the general secretary.

The story does not end here.  On the complaint of SEWA BHU the Vice-Chancellor has been summoned by Chairman, NCSC, New Delhi regarding the discrimination practices in BHU. Moreover a committee has been constituted by NCSC regarding the same.

It is the BHU people who talk about what she has done for them and for the development of the community. She is now an emblem of strength for all the employees of BHU. Even the upper caste of BHU appreciates her courage.


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Jai Bheem....

Mahendra Pratap Singh
Secretary, PROJECT VIJAY
R/o B.90 Alok Nagar, Post Dibiyapur, Distt. Auraiya (UP)
Mobile: 09415509920
E.mail: rti.youth@gmail.com
Blog: www.projectvijay.blogspot.com

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