A day after the Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe Teachers Forum of the University of Hyderabad (UoH) slammed the varsity for appointing Vipin Srivastava as Pro Vice-Chancellor-1, the head of Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) resigned from his post on Thursday in protest against the appointment.
Letter sent to Registrar
Sripati Ramudu, CSSEIP head, sent his resignation to the Registrar stating that the events post research scholar Rohith Vemula’s suicide in January, he was “convinced that there have been many omissions and commissions against Dalit students (violation of procedures) in the investigation of events culminating in the punishment of students.”
The faculty member said he had given ‘constructive suggestion’ to solve the issue of the five students, including Rohith, who were suspended from their hostels.
“As a result of the intransigent attitude of the administration, I believe it resulted in the tragic death of Rohith (sic),” mentioned Prof. Ramudu’s letter.
He added that the same had also been conveyed in the Academic Council meeting, which was held on April 6.
Prof. Ramudu also took exception to the appointment of Prof. Srivastava as the Pro VC-1 by the administration, the order for which was passed on June 7 in a circular.
He said Prof. Srivastava “is alleged to have had involvement in the death of a Dalit scholar, Senthil Kumar, as the then Dean, School of Physics and in the death of Rohith as Chairman, EC sub-committee.”
The CSSEIP faculty member said that Dalit students felt ‘vulnerable’ and ‘lacked confidence’ at present in the UoH.
“My conscience does not permit me to continue as Head of a centre. Therefore, in continuation to the earlier collective decision of the SC/ST Teachers' Forum to resign from all administrative posts, I reiterate my decision to resign in protest,” ended Prof. Ramudu’s letter.
Yet to be accepted
When contacted, UoH Registrar M. Sudhakar said that Prof. Ramudu’s resignation is yet to be accepted, as it has to reach Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile and that the process would take its own course.
As a result of the intransigent attitude of administration, it resulted in the tragic death of Rohith”.-Sripati Ramudu,CSSEIP Head
