Kochi: The family of the Sacked college Lectuer, T J Joseph, who was dismissed from service by the private Newman college at Thodupuzha, for preparing a question paper which allegedly hurt the sentiments of the muslim community, said he would be approaching the University Apellate Tribunal, seeking to take him back into service.
Prof Joseph`s sister Stella said to a news agency that her brother had told her this morning: `I do not want do anything against the
catholic church. But the college management is forcing me to
go to the tribunal`.
Even after getting his dismissal order, Joseph had written
to the college management to pardon him. `He has touched the
feet of the Bishop and the manager of the college seeking
pardon`, she said.
Stella, a nun, said she had also met the bishop on July 2,
before the attack, on behalf of her brother.
The family is also upset by the pastoral letter written by
the Kothamangalam bishop against joseph. Stella said the
entire family was `upset` and `scared`.
Joseph is slowly recovering after his right hand was
hacked by radical outfit Popular front of India (PFI) on July
4 and is presently undergoing physiotherapy. He was taking
pain killers to ease the pain, she said.
Though the college management is adamant about its stand
on the dismissal, the Syndicate of the Mahatma Gandhi
University has found that the action against the lecturer was
"gross violation of procedures". The management had been asked
"take appropriate further steps in accordence with law,
justice and equity."
Joseph said his salary was his only source of income to
sustain his family and his 25 year record as a teacher had
been unblemished.
Stella said the management was aware of the threat to
joseph and had failed to inform them. `If the family had been
informed, we would have taken police protection or moved off
to a safer place`, she said adding the management knew about
the threat to his life. Why did they not inform the family?
Joseph, who was teaching Malayalam literature, was first
suspended after the question paper row earlier this year and
dismissed from service on September 1 on the ground that he
had hurt the religious sentiments of a community.
The college authorities had justified their action, holding
that it was necessary to assert the secular credentials of the
educational institutions run by the church.
Writers and academics, mostly from pro-Left circles have
rallied round Joseph, condemning the college`s action as harsh
and inhuman as he had suffered physical assault from fanatics.
PTI
