AAP Government in Delhi should forthwith withdraw the decision to stop funding of 28 Delhi Colleges...

·        AAP Government in Delhi should forthwith withdraw the decision to stop funding of 28 Delhi Colleges under it as it would affect the future of thousands of students—Sharmistha Mukherjee.

·        The stand-off between the AAP Government in Delhi and the University of Delhi has created a crisis situation, affecting the future of students, teachers and non-teaching staff—Sharmistha Mukherjee.

 NEW DELHI, August 4— Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee said that amidst the fight between the Delhi Government and the University of Delhi, the teachers, students and the non-teaching fraternity have been caught in a cross fire for no fault of theirs, over the threat of the Aam Aadmi Party Government in Delhi to stop funding of 28 colleges under the Delhi Government (5 per cent funding in 16 colleges and 100 per cent funding in 12 colleges).

Addressing a press conference at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan, here today, chief spokesperson Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee said that the threat by the Delhi Government to stop funding of these 28 colleges has created a crisis in the Delhi University, and demanded that the issue be sorted out at the earliest in the larger interest of the stake holders (students, teachers and the non-teaching and support staff). Others present at the press conference were spokesperson Ms Puja Bahri, former Delhi Minister Dr Kiran Walia, INTEC chairperson Dr Ashwini Shankar and newly-appointed  chairperson of IT Cell Social Media of the DPCC Maj. Rajnish Panwar.

Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee said that the tussle  over the constitution of  the Governing Bodies in these 28 colleges between the AAP Government  and the University of Delhi has been going on for the past two months, and ever since, the list of the Governing Body members sent to the Executive Council of the Delhi University for approval was referred back to the Delhi Government, and the Delhi Government has created this crisis in a very irresponsible manner.

Smt. Sharmistha Mukherjee asserted that the Delhi Government cannot abdicate its prime responsibility of funding the Delhi Government colleges.

Dr Ashwini Shankar, chairman of INTEC (Indian National Teachers Congress), said that the saffronising mission of the BJP Government at the Centre is causing irreparable damage to the absorption movement of ad-hoc teachers in Delhi University. He said that the Congress party, ever since the teachers under the leadership of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Shri Ajay Maken, knocked at the doors of the Hon’ble President of India, for the absorption of the ad-hoc teachers, have been fighting on the streets, holding dharnas, sitting on hunger strikes, and helping out the displaced ad-hoc teachers.

Dr Shankar said the teaching community scored a major victory today when the Delhi High Court Division Bench stayed the displacement of three ad-hoc teachers in the Desh Bandhu College on the ground that one ad-hoc teacher cannot be replaced by another ad-hoc teacher until permanent appointments  are made. He said that this is a victory  for the Delhi Congress’ relentless fight for the absorption of the ad-hoc teachers and its resolve to strengthen the absorption movement.

Former Delhi Minister Dr Kiran Walia said that the crisis created by the Delhi Government is unprecendented in the history of Delhi University. She condemned the Delhi Government’s move to stop funding of the 28 colleges under its wing, which had never happened when Congress was in power in Delhi for 15 years. She demanded that such a move by the Delhi Government should be withdrawn forthwith in the interest of the stake holders of Delhi University, and in the interest of the education of lakhs of students.