– 70 employees including pregnant lady staffs terminated
– Serious allegations against VC
Work at TheOdisha Open University (OSOU)was brought to a halt on Wednesdayby the protesting staff of the university as they resorted to strike against the alleged atrocities imposed by the Vice Chancellor Shri Arka Kumar Das Mohapatra, demanding reinstatement of terminated staff, refrainment from threat of termination and restraint in the VC’s behaviour towards his staff.
Theprotesting employeeshave brought forward serious allegations of minacious conduct, mental torture, vindictive attitude and nepotism against the VC. “Dr Das Mohapatra has developed a habit of firing old and experienced staff members over trivial issues, threatening many of termination, forcing unreasonablyto write letter of apology, threatening protesting employees of police actions and deducting salary of pregnant staff”, one of the protesters said.
Since Dr Das Mohapatra has taken charge of OSOU three years ago,more than 70 long- term staff members have been terminated or forced to resign allegedly over trivial issues or his malicious behaviour.In the past two months, five staff have been terminated including two women employees. “In place of such experienced and efficient staff, relatives and inexperienced candidates referred by powerful persons have been recruited. Some of the terminated workers were reemployed by an agency on contractual terms, however, despite their efficiency and sincerity, the VC pursues a vindictive attitude towards them causing excessive stress and panic” another protesting staff said.
Women workers have expressed their dissatisfaction and distress against Shri Arka over his apathy and misconduct towards the lady staff. Ajunior executive Ms Sumita Maharanasaid, “I’ve been working here for last five years.I took maternity leave in January last year and resumed duty in July. After working for two months, I was served one month notice citing negligence despite doing all the assigned work. Such actions are hampering the functioning of the University.”
Abhinandan Tripathy, a staff said, “In the recent past many employees were issued termination notice citing indiscipline which were later withdrawn. We demand the VC to change such awfulbehaviour towards the employees.”
Dr Das Mohapatra has been in the line of fire by the media on the issues regarding non compliance of the UGC norms on University status, termination of efficient teaching staff, state-wide protests by the existing and old students on abrupt closure of Post Graduate programmes, mismanagement of the internal and student affairs and a non-cooperative attitude. Dissatisfaction over removal of competent teachers, irregularity in teacher recruitment, mismanagement in conducting classes and exams, unresponsive student grievances cell and sudden discontinuity of PG courses have been boiling over for a long time. The strike has added fuel to the fire as the staff have come out openly against the VC.
“If immediate action is not taken and Shri Das Mohapatra does not change his behaviour, we will be forced take it to the streets to attract the attention of the Governer”, one of the protesters reiterated.
Meena Nayak Mohanty
Bhubaneswar
