New Delhi: In a mass protest directed against St Stephen`s principal Valson Thampu, the staff association of the college will wear black bands and hold a dharna on Friday against the "unjust" actions being initiated against some individuals.
One of the issues at the centre of the controversy is the disciplinary proceedings against Professor MS Frank, who has questioned Thampu`s eligibility to be the principal of the
college.
An inquiry was initiated last month against Frank on a series of charges of misconduct in college.
The members of the staff association, in a meeting held yesterday, questioned the manner in which Thampu brought the matter before the governing body of the college and obtained
necessary approvals for initiating a case of misconduct against Frank.
They felt the actions were directed against Frank with an aim to pressurise him to withdraw his case challenging Thampu`s appointment as principal.
Besides the case of Frank, the staff association members said they were also agitated by the "derogatory" and "threatening" remarks in the minutes of the governing body
meeting circulated by Thampu against a woman employee of the college who had taken up her complaint of sexual harassment with the governing body.
The staff association members will wear "black bands" and hold a dharna in the college premises "in view of unjust and malafide actions taken or sought to be taken by Thampu against certain members of the teaching and non-teaching staff", said a statement.
As many as 44 of the 54 permanent members of the college faculty had earlier made a representation to the chairman of the governing body, making plain their objections to the
"dubious" manner in which the matter was brought before the governing body and approvals obtained for initiating a case of misconduct against Frank.
PTI
