SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, May 16: The appointment of the Teachers Association’s general secretary as University Representative (UR) in the law college governing body (GB) has triggered a new row among the teachers of Binod Bihari Mahto Koylanchal University (BBMKU).
BBMKU has appointed the Teachers Association’s general secretary Dr Himanshu Shekhar Choudhary as the UR in Dhanbad Law College’s GB.
While a section of teachers has termed the appointment against the norms of the teachers’ body, another group does not see anything wrong in it.
The appointment has raised eyebrows as merely 10 days ago, Dr Choudhary had raised his voice against the working style of the vice-chancellor (VC) Dr Mukul Narayan Dev and soon he got the appointment.
Some members feel that accepting a post at the university by Prof Choudhary would weaken the agitation of teachers. They pointed out that in 2011-12, the agitation of teachers was affected when the then general secretary of Vinoba Bhave University (VBU) Teachers Association Prof PK Jha was given the post of Katras College principal. Another office-bearer Prof RN Singh was made the principal of Bokaro College.
Notably, a year ago, Dr BN Singh, who was also the general secretary of BBMKUTA (another faction), was made the finance officer (FO) of BBMKU. Though, he resigned from the teachers’ body after the appointment. Three names were recommended to Chancellor (Governor) in which Dr Singh was found most qualified.
However, former dean of social science Prof SKL Das justified the acceptance of UR.
“Of course Association’s office bearer should not accept any university’s post of benefit. But UR is not a post of benefit. A faculty head of the university can hold the post in several committees. So, it is not against the tradition of the teachers’ body,” said Prof Das.
But a teacher pointed out that Dr Choudhary had set a new trend a few days ago by refusing membership PhD Cell in the name of ‘Conflict of Interest’. But now it looks as if he compromised with interest.
Former philosophy university head and patron of BBMKUTA Prof NK Ambastha observed that teachers’ representatives should not accept any post whether it is profit or non-profit as the body has a high tradition. “The agitation of teachers would weaken from such step. We fought many battles for justice of teachers,” said Prof Ambastha.
Retired Prof Dr Abhay Singh, who was president of VBUTA for 10 years, said that he was never offered any post by the university nor showed interest in it. “Whatever was possible, we did it for teachers rather than personal gain,” he said.
A teacher said, “We should emulate the trend set by Prof KK Sharma (now retired), the vice-president of All India Teachers Federation who never accepted any offer for the post.”
“Prof Sharma was lone teachers’ leader in united Bihar who fought against the wrong policy of the then Janata Dal MP Ranjan Yadav during Lalu Prasad’s government in 1991-92 for teachers. He could have got a coveted post in any university of state but he did not compromise,” said the teacher.
However, a senior teacher of BBMKU said that it is nothing but a campaign to malign the prestige of Dr Choudhary. “BBMKU PG Teachers Association general secretary Prof LB Palibal is also a UR in Katras College Katras GB but no one has raised the issue ever,” said the teacher.
