This is
the third time I am writing in this column about the struggle for justice
of Shakunthala Kamath, Lecturer in Political Science, Sri Narayana Guru
College, Kudroli, Mangalore.
Named
after the eminent backward class leader Sri Narayana Guru who struggled
against oppression and injustice all his life, this college is supposed
to provide education to the backward classes and empower them to come
up in life. It is indeed ironical that such an institution is blatantly
exploiting a helpless woman who is struggling for justice. Thanks to
their persistent efforts her case has been carried up to the Supreme
Court and she had won!
Recalling
her story, she had joined the college at its inception in 1989, when
it was started as a junior college. With good marks in her M.A. exams,
she had stood second in her batch at the Mangalore University and was
filled with enthusiasm to do justice to her work and be a good teacher.
In 1991 when the degree college commenced she was transferred there
on a salary of Rs. 1000/. As she was the senior most, she was also promoted
as the principal with an increment of Rs. 200/. In that year, when the
affiliation commission of Mangalore University visited the college during
the routine inspection they objected to the principal being a temporary
employee. In a show of bravado, the management had confirmed her then
and there as a permanent lecturer on university scales of pay.
Later
on, she discovered that all that was only make believe. The promised
scale of pay was never implemented. The duties of Principal were too
onerous and burdensome for her. So, she requested to be relieved and
said that she would be happy to continue as an ordinary teacher. This
infuriated the management, who appointed another person as the principal
and verbally ordered her to handover charge. When she asked for a written
order, it was refused and when Shekar Iddya, the person who was ‘appointed’
as principal asked her to hand over the keys, she declined. This led
to an argument between the two and Shekar Iddya broke the locks and
entered the principal’s chamber. As that was highly irregular, she
complained about that to the police. This led to the appointment of
another person, G.K.Shenoy as the new principal in July 1992. He informed
her as soon as he took over that she was dismissed. There was no written order.
However, she was prevented from signing
the attendance register and finally ‘terminated’ from service. When
she challenged that in the education appellate tribunal for Dakshina
Kannada, the management put forward 3 arguments; one was that she had
left on her own! The second was that it was termination simplicitor
and the third was that her dismissal was in order. However, the court
dismissed all these arguments and ordered her re-instatement on university
scales of pay. This was duly challenged by the management in benches
of the Karnataka High Court and finally in the Supreme Court. However,
they lost at each stage and the judgment of the educational appellate
tribunal was upheld. The complainant was happy that she had got justice!
This joy
was short lived. When there was no response from the management, she
was constrained to inform them by registered post that she would join
for duty on the 7th April 2005. But, when she went to the college, the
principal was not in the office. After waiting outside the gate for
sometime, she went home and submitted her joining report by post. At
that the principal Vasanth Kumar informed her that the management would
allow her to attend duty subject to certain conditions. She was designated
as stand by lecturer, she was to sit in the principal’ room and was
not assigned any teaching work.
Then,
followed a long battle for the assignment of her duties. She was made
to sit on the peon’s chair outside the principal’s office. When
she put a name plate with her name designation and qualifications, she
was scolded by the principal and a memo was issued. When she asked for
her back wages, she was paid at the rate of Rs. 1000/ per month for
the period of deemed service. When she asked for her salary she was
paid Rs. 986/- per month, a pittance by any standards! For fixation
of salary by the court, she asked for the information on pay scales
of Mangalore University under the Right to Information Act and that
too was refused. She had to struggle for her rights every millimeters
of her way!
When she
thought that her struggles were over, she was due for another shock.
The principal Vasanth Kumar issued one more memo. When she asked him
about it he abused her loudly. Though her harassment continued, she
was finally allowed to sit in the staff room following orders from the
high court but was not allotted classes. Later on she was allotted classes
after manipulating the time table and made to take what they called
as revision classes! Students were told not to attend them and the management
tried to discredit her in every way. The tragedy was that, the principal
Vasanth Kumar, who himself is a teacher was hand in glove with the management
in the persecution of his own colleague!
Unable
to stand their harassment Shakunthala lodged a complaint with the Karnataka
State Women’s Commission. Despite several summons, the principal Vasanth
Kumar has not appeared before that to give his version. So, the commission
has issued a warrant to ensure his presence at the next hearing.
However, the harassment continues and Shakunthala Kamath is waiting
with tension for the month of June when the colleges re-open after vacation.
Going by the past history of the management, she is sure that some new
torture would be in the store for her!
In the meanwhile some
teacher organizations, women’s forums and concerned individuals have
promised their support to Shakunthala in her search for Justice.
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