MADURAI: The protest and agitation of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) staff and pensioners demanding immediate disbursal of their last two months salary and pension had entered seventh day today- on February 22nd 2024-with an appeal once again to Chief Minister Mr.M.K.Stalin for his quick personal intervention to solve the varsity’s financial crisis.
Teaching and non-teaching staff of MKU along with a large number of university pensioners and members of three important associations- MKU Administrative Staff Association, MKU Faculty Association and MKU Pensioners Associations continued their protest in the university campus here today condemning the indifferent and lethargic attitude of Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and a few other senior level officials of the varsity.
Addressing the staff and pensioners on the 7th day of protest today, MUFA president Prof.A.Velanganni Joseph, MKU Administrative Staff Association secretary Mr.K.Sundaramoorthy, MKU Pensioners Association president Dr.A.Srinivasan and senior representatives including Prof.S.Pushparaj, Mr.A.Swaminathan and Dr.S.Muthiah had lashed out at the Vice-Chancellor Prof.J.Kumar for not taking up the MKU financial crisis issue with the State government in an appropriate manner.
“All our hopes are on the CM. Thousands of staff and pensioners are waiting for the December and January salary. The situation is so pathetic that three pensioners died in last one week since they had no money for medicines and medical treatment. Several employees are under severe mental stress. So, the State government should release the funds immediately and we also want MKU to be fully taken over by the government and make it a full government university,” Prof.Velanganni Joseph has appealed.
WHY THE VC IS NOT MEETING CHIEF MINISTER?
The MKU Administrative Staff Association leaders Mr.S.Muthiah (Senior Deputy Registrar) and Mr.K.Sundaramoorthy have raised a question on why the Vice-Chancellor is not personally meeting the Chief Minister, Higher Education Minister and senior level Government Secretaries to explain about the pathetic and precarious financial position of the university.
A powerful speech was made by the MKU Pensioners Association president 77-year-old Dr.A.Srinivasan who said that the audit objections of last 30 years cannot be a reason now for the State government to stop grants and funds to the university because IAS officers were also ex-officio Syndicate members of MKU and they too were present when the Syndicate took decisions.
Teaching and non-teaching staff, pensioners and family pensioners took part in the protest today and appealed for a permanent solution to the MKU financial crisis and also hoped that the JAC which is now leading the struggle for salary and pension will be able to take up the matter at top level in the State government.
