Jubilation at Kurukshetra over acceptance of their demand

Kurukshetra, August 29--- The Kurukshetra University community and people of Kurukshetra town were jubilant over the statement made by Haryana education minister Rambilas Sharma today in the Haryana Assembly that no college affiliated with Kurukshetra University would be shifted to any other University in the State, and government would ensure that stature of Kurukshetra is not curtailed.

It is pertinent to mention here that the people of Kurukshetra were protesting against the shifting of educational and engineering colleges to Ch. Ranbir Singh University, Jind and Dinbandhu Sir Chhautu Ram university of Engineering, Murthal respectively. While 159 colleges of Education had already been shifted to Jind University on July 4, last, the process of shifting engineering colleges was still in the pipeline.

While people of Kurukshetra drawn from various social and religious organisations, irrespective of their political affiliations had constituted a ‘Kurukshetra University Bachao Manch’ and had threatened to start an agitation including to go on fast unto death if the government failed to announce shifting back of the educational colleges during the ongoing monsoon session of Haryana Assembly.

Under pressure from the public, Member of Parliament, Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini had led a delegation of two ministers and four MLAS from this region to Haryana Chief Minister to impress upon the need to review Haryana Government’s earlier decision to shift colleges from Kurukshetra University.   

Kurukshetra University Teachers Association and students organisations had also condemned the shifting of these colleges and members of Kurukshetra University Non-Teaching Employees Association (KUNTEA) has went on a strike for ten days in support of their demands including demand of shifting back of education colleges to Kurukshetra University.   

Patron and Convener of Kurukshetra University Bachao Manch, Vijay Sabharwal and Madan Gopal Sharma, respectively who had spearheaded the campaign welcomed the statement made by Education minister in the vidhan sabha today. In a press statement issued here today, they thanked the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal and Education Minister Rambilas Sharma for listening to the sentiments of people of religious and historic town of Kurukshetra. They hoped that appropriate steps would be taken soon to shift the education colleges back to Kurukshetra University from Jind University at the earliest.

Member of University Executive Council, Dr. Vivek Chawala, and General Secretary of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Pawan Garg were amongst those who appreciated the assurance made by Haryana Education Minister and described it as a sensible decision on the part of Haryana government.   

Fast-Unto-Death threatened if Colleges are not re-affiliated back to Kurukshetra University

Kurukshetra, August 18 ---- ‘Kurukshetra University Bachao Manch’ was constituted by various NGOs, social and religious organisations here today to lead a campaign to protest against the shifting of 169 Educational Institutes and 50 Engineering Institutes of Kurukshetra University (KU) to Ch. Ranbir Singh (CRS) University, Jind and Dinbandhu Chhotu Ram University, Murthal, respectively, and ensure their return back affiliation to KU.

                                         Photo- Madan Gopal Sharma addressing the meeting

President of Kurukshetra University Pensioner Association, Madan Gopal Sharma, who was elected as Convener of the ‘Manch’ told representatives of various organisation at a meeting held at the Non-Teaching Employees Club, at Kurukshetra University (KU) campus here today that the oldest University of Haryana-Kurukshetra University- is being ruined financially under a conspiracy.   

Sharma announced that if the Haryana government failed to make amends in the CRS University Act, to affiliate back the Educational Collages from CRS University, Jind to KU during the next Haryana Assembly session starting from August 26, the ‘Manch’ would start an agitation by organising ‘bundh’ in the town.

 He announced that he would even sit on fast unto death if the government failed to heed their demand. He said that Kurukshetra University is the originator of almost all present Universities in Haryana as these were established by first making its Regional centres with the money from Kurukshetra University. He said that previous Congress government had transferred all medical Institutes affiliated with KU during its tenure to Pt. Bhagwatdyal University Rohtak and now BJP government bent upon to close down the Kurukshetra University by shifting Educational and engineering colleges.     

He said that Kurukshetra University was getting 88% grant which had been reduced to 28% of Plan and Non-Plan budget, and state government asking University to generate its own resources. He asked from where KU would generate this revenue if all the self-financial Colleges are shifted from here.

Vijay Sabharwal, a social activist and Member of KU Court (Highest decision making Body of KU) alleged that Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal was sympathetic to their demands when they had met him, but some IAS officers misguided him on the matter. He alleged that the Principal Secretary to Chief Minister on behalf of Chief Minister had ordered on June 24, last, that educational colleges may be shifted in phases, ie. Colleges of only one district out of a Division be shifted, but the file remained pending with Educational Commissioner till July 14, to let Jind University to complete the process of affiliation. He demanded from the Chief Minister to take strict action against such officers who refused to obey his order.    

Jai Narain Mishra, former President of Brahman and Tirath Sudhar Sabha, Kurukshetra, criticised Haryana government for its ‘double talk’. On one hand it is claiming credit for its announcement to celebrate ‘Geeta jyanti’ at Kurukshetra this year in December at ‘International level’ but on other hand curtailing the status of Kurukshetra University to only Kurukshetra itself. He said that if Haryana Chief Minister is genuine in promoting Kurukshetra to International level, he must atleast bring all Colleges of Haryana under Kurukshetra University to make it complete State University. Assuring full support to the demand for re-shifting back of these Colleges, he recalled that Chautala Government had tried to re-name Kurukshetra University, but proposal was dropped only following massive protest from the people here.

Babu Ram Gupta, former President Kurukshetra University Non-Teaching Association (KUNTEA) called upon the people of area and various organisations to prepare for struggle if they want to save Kurukshetra University. He said that people of this area are peace loving which is considered as their weakness. Alleging deep political conspiracy in the move, Gupta said that earlier B.S. Hooda took all Institutions to Rohtak and now Union Minister Birender Singh is taking everything to Jind.  He said that this government listens only to those who show their strength not otherwise. He said that people from Jat community destroyed the establishments of peace-loving Punjabi community in Rohtak and Jind area few months back, and Government awarded them by Jat reservations. He called upon to make it such a mass agitation that government had to come here to accept their demand rather than hovering around politicians. He expressed surprise that three Members of Parliament and 27 MLAs which represent this part of Haryana are keeping silent when the oldest University of the State is being ruined. May be that they are politically weak and Chief Minister do not listen to them, he added.

It may be mentioned here that shifting of these colleges would cause an annual loss of Rs. 30 crores to KU which is already facing a loss annual budget of Rs. 70 crores  

         

KUTA opposed Government to shift B.Ed and Engineering colleges from KUK

Kurukshetra, August 3       ---------------          Kurukshetra University Teachers’ Association(KUTA) has opposed move of the government to shift educational and engineering colleges from Kurukshetra university to ch. Ranbir Singh University, Jind and CRUST, Murthal, respectively. The teacher body has criticised the decision as it will deteriorate the financial condition of the university.

Kurukshetra university teachers' association president Dr. Sanjeev Sharma in a press release said that government decision will create financial crises in the university. He said that government has already decided to affiliate all B.Ed colleges to Ch. Ranbir Singh University Jind. These move of government to shift engineering and B.Ed colleges from KU to other universities will badly affect the quality of education as KU being oldest university of the state has the largest experience to tackle problems of these colleges successfully.

He said that there is great resentment among colleges also because they are being shifted from an internationally known university to virtually unknown newly established inexperienced universities without sufficient staff to look after their own affairs.

He regretted that while they were fighting to get central university status to Kurukshetra University BJP government of Haryana preferred to curtail the existing status of Kurukshetra University even.

KUTA secretary Dr. Mahabir Singh Ranga said that KU is being subjected to step motherly treatment by the government for more than a decade. He said that university facing a deficit of Rs. 70crore and managing 75% of budgetary requirement from its own sources, including self-financed colleges. KU is the mother of most of Haryana Universities as they have become universities after being the regional centres of KU initially. Now the mother is being deprived of its minimum requirements.

KUTA has categorically demanded to restore the affiliation status of B.Ed and Engineering colleges with KUK and sufficient financial resources to meet its minimum requirements of imparting higher education and research.

Administrative work at KU remained paralysed due to strike by non-teaching employees

Kurukshetra, August 3 --- The administrative work at Kurukshetra University remained totally paralysed today causing great inconvenience to students as the indefinite strike by the members of Kurukshetra University Non-Teaching Employees Association (KUNTEA) entered second day today.

The members of KUNTEA went on indefinite strike on Tuesday in support of their demands including the demand that the education and engineering colleges which had been transferred to two other Universities in Haryana be affiliated back to Kurukshetra University.

While the President KUNTEA, Ram Kumar said that they were pushed for indefinite strike as earlier assurance remained unfulfilled, and that the strike would continue till their all demands are conceded, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. K.C. Sharma said that the major demand of the Association regarding staff ratio promotions has been taken up with the state government. He said that it is ticklish problem being faced here since the year 1988. He said that there are different orders in this regard by the state government.

Prof Sharma said that the previous Vice-Chancellor had introduced the old staff ratio system of one superintendent against three clerks in 2014, for promotions but audit department raised objections. The matter was referred to State government; but still promotes were continue to be paid salaries without getting it audited. The government sent a letter in the month of June this year that the new staff ration of one superintendent against six clerks must be followed. Still, the University is trying to pursue this matter at the level of state government as the neighbouring universities are following the old staff ratio system for promotions.   

With regards to the shifting of colleges to other Universities, he said that University had tried its best to resist it but the final decision was made by the state government. He hoped that the addition loss of over 30 crores annually to Kurukshetra University due to this shifting would be met by the state government. He said other small matters concerning individual issue of the non-teaching employees are being considered by a committee constituted some time back.

 He hoped that the KUNTEA would withdraw its strike and employees would join their duties by tomorrow, otherwise administration would thing about the alternatives so that administrative work could be handled.       

Protest against shifting of Education and Engineering Colleges from Kurukshetra University 

Kurukshetra, august 2 --- Great resentment prevails not only amongst Kurukshetra University community but the public at large here over the move of Haryana Government to shift self-finance educational and engineering Institutions to two other separate Universities in Haryana from this academic session.

169 Education Colleges and 50 Engineering Colleges affiliated with Kurukshetra University have been shifted to Ch. Ranbir Singh University, Jind and Ch. Chautu Ram Engineering University, Murthal following the orders by the Haryana government.

A large number of eminent persons from here had represented the Haryana Chief minster two months back against the move stating that it would curtail the status of Kuurkshetra University, which is the first and prime university of Haryana, besides causing hardship to students and financial loss to Kurukshetra University. Later, a delegation of five MLAS of norther part of Haryana including Haryana Minister Krishan Bedi and Karan Kamboj under the leadership of Kurukshetra Member of Parliament, Raj Kumar Saini met the Haryana Chief Minister, to convey the feelings of the public and demanded that the move must be curtailed.

Though, as per Mr. Saini, Chief Minister assured to review the move and ordered that the colleges must be shifted in a phased manner, on experimental basis. However, the bureaucracy not only overlooked the note of Principal Secretary to Chief Minister but fast tracked the process of shifted and then took a stand that the Institutions had already been affiliated to Jind University, and nothing could be done now.

Kurukshetra University Teachers Association (KUTA), Kurukshetra Non-Teaching Employees Association (KUNTEA) and Pensioner Welfare Association Kurukshetra University had passed separate resolution to condemned the move stating that it would ruin the oldest University of Haryana.

While members of KUNTEA went on a token strike today to press their demands including to the demand of reversal of these colleges to KU, in a statement, President KUTA, Dr. Sanjiv Sharma condemned the move and announced that teachers would start an agitation if these colleges are not reversed back to Kurukshetra University. In a letter to Chief Minister, President of Pensioner Welfare Association, Madan Gopal said that the policies of the state government during last 20 years had ruined the prime university financially. He said that University needs Rs. 80 crores to meet its budget deficit but the State government is adamant to provide only 20 percent of it. He said that earlier Pharmacy colleges affiliated with KU were shifted to Pt. Bhagwat Dyal PGI at Rohtak, and now educational and engineering colleges have also been shifted.    

It has its political fallout also, as President, Indian National Lok Dal, Haryana, Ashok Arora accused the Haryana government for its adamant attitude which would ‘destroy’ the ‘existence’ of Kurukshetra University. Addressing a party members meeting here on Monday, Arora said that Haryana government is taking such decisions ‘intentionally’ which would cause financial crunch for Kurukshetra University. He said that the shifting of these colleges besides causing great hardship to the students would cause an annual loss of Rs. 30 crores to Kurukshetra University. He said that Kurukshetra University is already at a loss of Rs. 80 crores annually and many times employees are not paid their salaries for months together. The problem would further aggravate with this move. Describing it as injustice with this area, he hoped that good sense would prevail and that colleges would be reverted back here.

General secretary, Haryana Pradesh congress Committee (HPCC), Pawan Garg condemned the move and expressed surprise that on one hand Haryana Chief minister is making statements on daily basis that they would develop Kurukshetra to bring it on world map but his present move is to remove Kurukshetra from the map of State even. He said that Kurukshetra University is historic as Kurukshetra is known world over as land of holy Gita. Infact, Kurukshetra must be developed as a cluster of knowledge and learning rather than reducing the status of present University, he added.

He recalled that 20 years back engineering colleges affiliated with Kurukshetra University were shifted to newly established Guru Jambeshwar University at Hissar. However, the then Chief Minister Bhajan Lal ordered the reversal of the shifting following the resentment expressed over the move by the local people here. He urged the Chief minster to honour the opinion of the public here and ensure that these colleges are shifted back to their original University at the earliest.     

   Photo—KU main gate