Academics from universities in Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have written to President Pranab Mukherjee after former Jamia Millia Islamia Vice-Chancellor Mushirul Hasan quit his post as a teacher at the university recently,alleging harassment by the dean of Faculty of Humanities and Languages. The academics submitted a memorandum to the President,who is also the Visitor of the central university,seeking his intervention,as an academician of high repute and a former Padma Shri awardee was being subjected to such nefariously calibrated exercises aimed at damaging his credentials by sections of the university and outside. The group has requested the President to order an inquiry into the episode and also revoke Hasans voluntary retirement. The list of signatories include Prof Prabhat Patnaik,Emeritus Professor,JNU,Farah Naqvi,member,National Advisory Council,and Prof Irfan Habib,AMU. Hasan was the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia between 2004 and 2009. He went on to head the National Archives of India as the Director-General (2010-2013) and returned to Jamia this summer to teach at the History department. Hasan alleged the Dean of Faculty of Humanities and Languages,G P Sharma,had subjected him to all sorts of harassment. Speaking to Newsline,Sharma had denied the allegations,stating Hasan was not targeted. I have asked for an explanation from other teachers as well, he said.
