[Reader-list] PUBLIC STATEMENT BY AMBEDKAR PERIYAR STUDY CIRCLE ON DERECOGNISATION BY IITM

[Asit Das]

PUBLIC STATEMENT BY AMBEDKAR PERIYAR STUDY CIRCLE ON DERECOGNISATION BY IITM

Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) functioning in Indian Institute of
Technology Madras as independent students’ body is derecognized by the Dean
of students on 22/05/2015 through an email stating the reason “because of
the misuse of the privileges” given by IITM as an independent student body.
When we met the Dean of students in his office to know the reason for this
move on 25/05/2015, he showed a letter from the MHRD dated 21/05/2015 with
the ref no. F. No. 5-3/2014-TS-I. The letter stated that the MHRD has
received serious complaints regarding the activities of our study circle
through anonymous letter. That letter and a copy of our phamplet were
attached to it. When we tried to explain our stand to Dean, he was
reluctant in hearing any justification and even refused to get into the
subject of our pamphlet. He told he can’t hear any justification; rather he
flipped from ‘misuse of privileges given’ to ‘violation of code of
conduct’. But nowhere in his written statement or in oral, he mentioned
about violation of code of conduct. When we asked him to mail the MHRD
letter, until 26th May afternoon he has not contacted us. Hence we went to
his office to remind him to forward the letter to APSC mail. He refused to
mail and gave us a partial photocopy of the letters and (The mail from
dean, MHRD letter, Anonymous letter and our pamphlet are in our facebook
page and scroll.in.) Immediately after getting the letter from MHRD, the
IIT administration autocratically derecognized APSC, without going to Board
of Students, SAC or Senate or seeking explanation from us on ‘misuse of
privilege’ as given in written or ‘violation of code of conduct’ as given
in oral. We gave a written statement on our stand in derecognizing APSC on
the next day to The Director and SAC which was not yet replied by both
(This letter officially sent IITM administration is available in our
facebook page). But when we announced that APSC is been derecognized by the
Institution in our facebook page, which got attention in traditional and
social media and nationwide attention from all democratic forces and
students, the Hinduthva outfits like H. Raja (BJP), Arjun Sampath (IMK),
Gopal (ABVP) came up with statements stating that six month before itself
they took decision in their higher committees and pressurized the IIT
Madras administration to take action against APSC (Ref. The Hindu, Puthiya
Talaimurai). They wondered why IITM delayed in implementing that decision.
When everything went public, IITM Spokesperson (?) flicked that APSC is
‘temporarily derecogonised’ and will consider the evocation only after the
vacation; until then APSC can’t function. When the public arouse on the
autocratic move of IITM in curtailing the freedom of expression of
students, today the Director give a statement to media that, he seeked APSC
for explanation on ‘violation of code of conduct’. SAC went for survey to
IITM students on 31.05.2015 that ‘whether APSC should function inside
IITM?” We hereby declare that except the first email dated 22/05/2015, no
communication was given to us from IITM, even though we gave written
statement on our stand on this issue. Irrespective of whether APSC is
recogonised or not, the chronology of these events happened raise the
following questions which seek explanation from IITM, MHRD and the Union
Government.
• Union government is tight – lipped whenever the state governments write
letters seeking its intervention on the issues affecting the common people
like FDI on retail, Land ordinance, Methane extraction, pathetic condition
of sugar cane farmers, non procurement for Public distribution scheme,
installation of nuclear reactor etc… But why it is proactive in intervening
the internal affairs of an autonomous higher education institution based on
an anonymous letter?
• For this financial year there is a huge cut in the allocated fund for
higher education in budget. Daily even one article is published in op-eds
by eminent academicians regarding the drain of finance for higher education
during the Modi regime and the future consequences of it. Even IITM
faculties are in trap without knowing how to carry over the running
research projects and other academic activities. As on today since no fund
has been released. MHRD has not released the fund for research scholars’
arrears for the last five months. Ignoring the representations on such
important issues, MHRD is proactive in channeling an anonymous letter
seeking explanation within a week. The telegraph even reported that the
MHRD letter forwarded complaint had a hand-written line by an unnamed
official saying: "Unfortunate. IITs were never used for such purposes. Pl
get comments." which was hidden by IITM. Is this evidences are not enough
to accuse your motive in intervening in the internal affairs of an
autonomous institution and the misuse of official power for vested interest?
• For the last few years IITM witnessed lot of student movements against
the interest of common people of India like anti reservation protest of
youth for equality, and the issue when Hindu right-wing student group tried
to disrupt the programme by not allowing Teesta Setalvad to complete her
answers. IITM admin was mum always favouring the interest of right wing
rather than implementing government policy on reservation or democratic
right of an activist. Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle is an independent
student body which never enjoyed any of the privileges given by institute
like that of Vivekananda Study circle to propagate Hindhuthva. So far APSC
activities are engaged with the healthy discussion on socio-economic issues
on scientific basis to promote the scientific temper among the student
which is allowed by the Indian constitution. But without any solid ground
you unilaterally and undemocratically suppress our activities without
seeking any explanation from our side. For whom you did this to us?
We need answers for the above questions. Also still we stand on the point
that you have no right to de-recogonise us as APSC functioning inside the
campus is not the privilege given by you rather its our democratic right
given by the Constitution of India. We thank all our fellow students and
democratic forces who stand with APSC to establish our right of freedom to
express.

APSC TEAM
02.06.2015


Solidarity with APSC:
Protest in Dadar station
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m95by2c_kMs