Music varsity staff’s agitation enters 100th day

The staff have not been paid their salaries for the last eleven months and denied entry into the University premises since November last year

The Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University in Mysuru. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The agitation for regularisation of the services of 21 temporary non-teaching employees of Dr Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University in Mysuru entered the 100^th day on May 30.

The agitating employees have planned to take out a jatha from its site of protest outside the University to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday to draw the attention of the Government and public to their plight.

The temporary non-teaching staff, who had been working at the University for the last ten years, have not been paid their salaries for the last eleven months and denied entry into the University premises since November last year.

They began an agitation in February this year and had managed to secure the support of elected representatives and NGOs in their struggle. When the Government did not respond positively to their protest, they began a relay hunger strike from April 18.

With the Government not showing any response, the employees will be taking out a jatha on Monday to mark its 100^th day of protest, said an affected temporary employee.

The University had shared a copy of the Government’s statement on the issue that was also raised the recent session of the State Legislative Council.

The Government has stated that the University had appointed 21 persons on temporary basis in addition to the sanctioned posts without following the regulations. Hence, the Government had taken a serious note of the proposal submitted to the Finance Department for release of salaries to temporary employees appointed over and above the sanctioned posts and had issued a circular to remove them from service, according to the statement by the Government in the Legislative Council.