New Delhi: With the student protest lasting over a month, the standoff at Delhi’s South Asian University (SAU) is taking an ugly turn with embassies of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries being approached.
At least one country, Sri Lanka, has confirmed that it has received “correspondence” from the university.
No classes since October 13 as students are on protest demanding High stipend and adequate representation for social science faculty, among other things.
The university is sponsored by eight members of the South Asian Group – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
One of the five students facing action from the university (two expelled, three suspended). november 4 alleged that the SAU had sent a letter to the Bangladesh Embassy indicating that it was participating in activities that were causing unrest in the host country (India).
“The names of two Bangladeshi students, including mine, were sent to the embassy, indicating that we were participating in activities that could be considered anti-India. The authorities have told me that if the police get involved and find me violating visa laws, they will not be able to stop my deportation,” the 29-year-old doctoral student told ThePrint.
He claimed embassy officials were apprehensive about his participation in the protest and feared that his deportation would set a bad precedent that could affect the number of visas granted to Bangladeshi students.
Another Bangladeshi student went on hunger strike but ended the hunger strike on the fifth day due to deteriorating health.
SAU confirmed that it has written to the High Commissions (of countries from where the fasting students are from) informing them about the matter. However, it did not comment on the use of the phrase ‘anti-India’ activities.
ThePrint reached out to the Bangladesh High Commission via email. This report will be updated after receiving a response.
Upset over the treatment meted out to students from his country, a Bhutanese student has joined a protest demanding an increase in PhD scholarships. “All the international students are toppers from their countries and have come here believing in the spirit of regional cooperation. We are treated with disdain and accused of trying to make money off the scholarship. How is this fair? He asked.
He claimed that two Bhutanese students have left the university due to the financial crisis and the behavior of the faculty. The student said more were looking at switching options.
The 29-year-old has decided to visit its embassy on Wednesday, saying Bhutan is strict and does not condone indiscipline from its student representatives.
“The definition of protest is vague and is viewed differently in each country. The university is trying to create a narrative that this protest is funded by the Left parties. I am a Buddhist. Why should I be concerned with local domestic politics?” He asked.
The student said that all students want to get adequate stipend with respect in an expensive city like Delhi.
Students from SAARC member countries feel that being from smaller countries their embassies do not have “bargaining power with India”.
Another demand of the students is to provide Silver Jubilee Scholarship to the people of Sri Lanka. The scholarship is currently awarded to master’s and doctoral students from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal.
“My family’s income is less than $800 (Rs 65,087) a year and after the upheaval in my country, I should be seen as eligible for a scholarship. I was on hunger strike for 5 days before I fell ill. Sri Lankan embassy officials contacted me to inquire about my health,” said a Sri Lankan student on condition of anonymity.
Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner Neeluka Kadurugamuwa told ThePrint that the commission believes in a student’s right to express his or her grievances with the university administration and had corresponded with the above-mentioned student to help him with his medical needs.
“We never asked him to call off his hunger strike, as a student he is well within his rights to express his opinion. It was only after the university administration informed them about their strike that we started correspondence to provide them consular assistance if needed.
Kadurgamuwa said the Sri Lankan High Commission is considering whether a meeting with the SAU administration should be held in the near future.
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financial mismanagement
According to a statement from SAU, the governing body meeting of the university has not been held since 2017 due to ‘unavoidable circumstances’ and ‘logistical issues’. Ministry of External Affairs has Power to set up the meeting.
The delay in the meeting has also left the university without a president, vice-president and registrar, as these appointments can only be made by the governing body.
“The chairman is selected from among the SAARC countries on a rotational basis. The next appointment is to be made from Pakistan,” said a source close to the matter.
The source said the prospects of a meeting in the near future are bleak in view of deteriorating India-Pakistan relations.
The protesting students claimed that at present all the posts are temporarily occupied by the employees of the science department.
Students have also raised concerns over the financial management of funds at the university. He alleges that the current Acting President Professor Ranjan Kumar Mohanty took out Rs 19 lakh as travel expenses. He said that the post of Director and Deputy Director (Finance) was held by only one officer Keshav Dutt.
When asked why its annual financial report was not released, the SAU said that these documents are released only after the recommendation of the Finance Committee and the Executive Committee and then approved by the Governing Board.
It also dismissed allegations of mismanagement, calling them an attempt to “discredit the president”.
“The President has withdrawn the transport allowance as per the rules applicable to the office of the President. However, the figure of 19 lakh has been wrongly mentioned and exaggerated to malign the image of the President.
“The case of Director Finance (DF) and Deputy Director Finance (DDF) is also done after following due process and there is nothing wrong in it. The present DF is not holding the post of DDF; Instead, he has a lien on the DDF post as DF is a tenure position and it is a normal phenomenon whenever a government servant is appointed to a tenure post,” the SAU said about Dutt’s appointment.
(Editing by Therese Sudip)
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