The relay hunger strike pressing for regularisation of services of 21 temporary non-teaching employees of Dr. Gangubai Hanagal Music and Performing Arts University, which began on Monday, entered the second day on Tuesday.
The temporary non-teaching staff of the University have been staging protest outside the University premises in the city since the last 58 days complaining that they had not been paid their salaries for the last ten months and even denied entry into the university premises since the last two months.
While Odanadi Seva Samsthe’s Stanly was on hunger strike on the first day on Monday, writer K.S. Bhagwan and representatives of other progressive organisations also sat in protest outside the university premises.
On Tuesday, Manjula, one of the affected temporary non-teaching staff, was on hunger strike.
Mr Stanly said representatives of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Dalit Sangharsha Samithi and other organisations will take turns to participate in the indefinite strike.
Meanwhile, the University has shared a copy of the Government’s statement to a question raised by K.T. Srikante Gowda in a recent session of the State Legislative Council on the issue.
According to the reply, the Government had in August 2012 approved a total of 19 posts for the university established in 2009. But, the university had appointed 21 persons on a temporary basis in addition to the sanctioned posts without following the roster or other regulations.
It has also been pointed out in the reply that the government’s permission was mandatory to create or fill up posts in any of the State Universities. The Government had taken serious note of the proposals submitted to the Finance Department for release of salaries to temporary employees appointed over and above the sanctioned posts and had issued a circular to remove them from service.
