PUTA set to intensify stir

PATIALA, April 27: The Punjabi University Teachers Association PUTA has decided to intensify its ongoing agitation against the victimisation of teaching and non-teaching staff, by holding a protest march on the campus. The stir entered the 22nd day today.

Through a resolution, the PUTA executive also decided to boycott all functions to be organised by the university at the behest of the Vice-Chancellor, and to hold rallies during such functions. The executive also appealed to the ministers and bureaucrats to desist from consenting to attend such functions on the invitation of Vice-Chancellor Dr J. S. Puar, especially in view of the detailed report prepared by the Vigilance department charging him with corruption and malpractices.

Through another resolution, PUTA appealed to the Punjab Chief Minister to immediately suspend Dr Puar and initiate action against him on the basis of the report.

Later, during the protest rally, Dalbir Singh Dhillon, convenor of the Sikh Intelligentsia Forum, highlighted the growing resentment among the teachers against the Vice-Chancellor and warned the authorities of the dire consequences if victimisation was not stopped.

Sham Lal Singla, convenor of the Nationalist Teachers Council, condemned a former PUTA president and trade unionist K. C. Singal, for accepting the post of Department of Business Management, especially after the V-C removed Gurdip Singh and debarred the prospective head M. S. Bedi from taking over.