Panjab University strike continues, agitators hold protests, raise slogans at two places

A protest by members of by teaching and non-teaching staff of private and government-aided colleges of Panjab University (PU) entered its sixth day, with more than 700 teaching and non teaching-staff, along with 300 students of privately managed government-aided colleges on Monday holding massive protests, first at Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45, followed by demonstration and sloganeering at Sector 33-45 light points.

Meanwhile, the CTU, the union of water department, and many other trade unions on Monday extended full support to the staff of Chandigarh colleges who have been protesting for a host of demands — which includes delay in direct implementation of UGC regulations as per the Centre’s notification dated March 29, 2022, pending CAS promotions, and all benefits and allowances on par with government colleges as well as grant of revised pay scales to non-teaching staff.

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The protest by the staff is being held under the aegis of Joint Action Committee (JAC) of PU, that covers all seven affiliated colleges in Chandigarh.

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Dr Surinder Kaur, the president of the Chandigarh unit of JAC, said, “Our demands are genuine. We will continue our protests till our demands are met.”

Sumit Goklaney, a faculty member of DAV College, Sector 10 — who is also an office bearer of JAC — said that there was huge resentment among college staff due to the insensitive and callous attitude of the education department and Chandigarh administration toward their demands. He said that even the most legitimate issues of Chandigarh colleges have been left unattended by officials.