Four professors of South Asian University (SAU) in Delhi who have been accused of “running a Marxist study circle and inciting student protest on campus,” were suspended over allegations of misconduct.
The suspensions come months after the university witnessed student protests seeking an increase in the monthly stipend for Master’s and PhD programmes, among other demands. Two students were expelled and three placed under suspension following the protests.
The four professors along with other nine members of the faculty had protested the university’s decision to bring in police against the student protest in November last year.
The four professors suspended are Snehashish Bhattacharya (Faculty of Economics), Srinivas Burra (Faculty of Legal Studies), Irfanullah Farooqi (Faculty of Social Sciences), and Ravi Kumar (Faculty of Social Sciences).
The suspension notice was issued on 16 June.
The letter says a further investigation is underway, and directs the four faculties“not to leave the station without permission, vacate their offices, return their office computers and identity cards, and register their attendance on all working days in the offices of their respective deans.”
The faculty members who were suspended alleged that the suspension notice against them was “targeted” and “illegal”. Reports suggest that they are now considering moving court against the suspension orders.
The SAU is an international university established by eight members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
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