The faculty members and non-teaching staff of Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary (TTS) here staged a sit-in protest, to be followed by a relay hunger strike, on Monday, demanding action against the Principal for alleged harassment.
Eighteen faculty members and a majority of the non-teaching staff remained inside the chapel on Monday showing their non-cooperation. The faculty members told reporters that the protest was not aimed at an individual but to protect the reputation of TTS and its role in society.
The faculty alleged that the problem started when faculty members in a meeting raised the issue of various ministries like Arulagam, Inba Illam’s autonomy and various anomalies attached to them.
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Abused
Following this, a relative of the Principal who worked at the Dalit Resource Centre had filed a complaint against six of the faculty members that they had abused him using his caste name and cases were filed under Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.
The faculty contended that most of them included in the case were known for their work regarding Dalit liberation and this was a clear case of violation of an act which was meant to protect the interests of the marginalised.
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The protesting faculty members addressed a letter to the governing council of TTS, listing four demands, including an enquiry into the allegations made by them. They also demanded that the inquiry should be done when the Principal was not in power.
11-page reply
When contacted, Principal Gnanavaram refuted all the charges and maintained that false accusations were being levelled against him. He further said that the ulterior motive of the protest was to question the Dalit leadership. He said that he was ready to face the charges levelled against him and had already sent a 11-page reply to the inquiry committee appointed by the governing council.