Silent protest against the unjust suspension of Prof. Neeraj Hatekar

University Community For Democracy And Equality (UCDE)

calls upon all students, teachers and karamcharis of Mumbai University to join a

SILENT PROTEST

against the unjust suspension of Prof. Neeraj Hatekar and the high-handedness of the MU authorities.

8.30 AM, 12 JANUARY, 2014, KALINA CAMPUS GATE.

Join in large number to make our voices heard!

Long Live Student-Teacher-Karamchari Unity!

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION FACING THE MOVEMENT OF MU STUDENTS AGAINST THE SUSPENSION OF PROF. HATEKAR.

The spontaneous movement of the students and other members of the MU community against the suspension of Prof. Neeraj Hatekar is slowly gathering momentum. 

However, there are some things about which every student participating in the movement, and especially the students of the Economics department, should be concerned. Its noteworthy that the students of MU themselves started the movement immediately after the suspension of Prof. Hatekar. UCDE gave a call for protest demonstration on January 6. After that demonstration various ELECTORAL POLITICAL PARTIES also have tried to make incursions into the movement. This is a very alarming development. We know that the other universities like Delhi University, Allahabad University, etc have been turned into training centers for becoming MLAs-MPs by these very electoral political parties. 

Do we really want that fate for our university as well? Do we really want it to become a center of politics of money-power and muscle-power? Do we want lumpenization, criminalization and academic deterioration of our campus? If not, then we must organize our movement independently on the principle: BY THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, FOR THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY, OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY! If anyone wants to support our movement, we welcome them. However, we should not allow them to hijack this independent, spontaneous and healthy movement of students and other members of the University Community for a genuine demand; we should not allow any electoral political force to turn the campus into their wrestling arena. We must understand the importance of this issue.

Press coverage for demonstration of 8 January

Times of India

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लोकसत्‍ता

Students of MU held another protest today

Press Release

Students of MU held another protest today

8­ Jan. 2014, Mumbai University, Kalina. The students of Mumbai University took to streets agains the disputed suspension of Prof. Neeraj Hatekar today in the Kalina Campus. Around 300 students jammed the gates of the Mumbai University for about 4 hours. Students not only from the Economics department, to which Prof. Hatekar belongs, but even from other departments joined the protest in huge numbers. University Community for Democracy and Equality had led a massive postering and pamphleteering campaign to spread the word about this protest demonstration. A pamphlet against the allegedly arbitrary suspension of Prof. Hatekar was issued by the UCDE and was distributed among hundreds of students from the last evening.

Apart from the pamphlets, the students also covered the MU notice boards with the posters of this protest demonstration. From the morning around 8:30 AM, students began to gather at the gates of the Kalina Campus. By 10 AM the number of students reached to about 300. Apart from UCDE, various electoral political parties also extended support to this movement of students which is slowly gathering momentum.

Savita, a student of the Economics department told the media persons that the suspension of a teacher like Prof. Hatekar only shows that there is something terribly wrong with the MU authorities. If Prof. Hatekar was not right in asking questions the MU authorities should have invited him for open debate. But the manner in which he has been removed only shows that all is not well with the MU administration.
Prashant, the spokesperson and Convening Committee member of UCDE told the media that the suspension of Prof. Hatekar is not an issue of the Economics department only. It is an issue of the entire University democracy, an ideal that every sensitive University student cherishes. He said that the high-handedness of the MU administration is characteristic of a draconian rule inside the University, which is plagued with a number of academic and administrative irregularities. Prashant said that soon the UCDE will organize a Students' charter movement for these issues, which in fact, were raised by Prof. Hatekar too.

University Community for Democracy and Equality has called upon the students, teachers and karamcharis of the entire MU to join A SILENT PROTEST DEMONSTRATION ON JANUARY 12 ORGANIZED BY THE UCDE. This day is a Sunday and is going to witness the Convocation Program of the MU. Various eminent personalities have been invited to this program and the students are going to send mails and letters to these persons urging them not to be a part of this program when such unjust and arbitrary practices are being followed by the University administration itself. Prashant urged all the students and teachers of various colleges also to join the Silent Protest on January 12 in Kalina Campus to express solidarity with Prof. Hatekar as well as the protesting students.

Prashant

(spokesperson)

University Community for Democracy and Equality (UCDE)

Protest demonstration against the unjust suspension of Prof. Neeraj Hatekar

Universtiy Community for Democracy and Equality (UCDE)

calls upon every justice-loving student, teacher, and karamchari of the Mumbai University to join a

PROTEST DEMONSTRATIon

of students of MU against the unjust suspension of Prof. Neeraj Hatekar

8:30 AM, 8th January, 2014

Kalina Campus Gate, Mumbai University.

Down with high-handedness of MU administration!

Revoke the Suspension of Prof. Neeraj Hatekar!!

Press coverage of demonstration held on 6 January 2014

Times of India

DNA

Hindustan times

Mumbai Mirror

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प्रहार

पुढारी

लोकसत्‍ता

Press Release

UCDE holds protest demonstration in Mumbai University against the suspension of Economics professor

6­ Jan. 2014, Mumbai University, Kalina. Independent forum of Mumbai University students, University Community for Democracy and Equality (UCDE) held a protest demonstration against the disputed suspension of the Mumbai University Economics professor Neeraj Hatekar. Its noteworthy that Prof. Hatekar have been voicing his concern over the administrative and academic irregularities in the Mumbai University for a long time. UCDE, a forum of MU students which has been fighting for students rights and demands in the MU, today came in support of Prof. Hatekar and after a huge procession of students, held a sit-in protest at the gates of Kalina Campus, Mumbai University.

At the protest, spokesperson and convening committee member of UCDE, Prashant told the press persons that Prof. Hatekar has impeccable academic record and a loved teacher of Econometrics in the Economics department of the MU. Its shocking to witness such a dictatorial action on the part of the VC. Its known that Prof. Hatekar has been raising questions about the undemocratic functioning of the University. Prashant told that UCDE extends its unequivocal support to Prof. Hatekar and his struggle for transparency in the University.

Param, a member of UCDE told that the MU is a prestigious institution and its expected from the authorities of such an institution to at least follow the due administrative process and democratic procedure. However, the authorities has gone out of the way to get rid of Prof. Hatekar, since he has been asking inconvenient questions. Several students from Economics department expressed solidarity with Prof. Hatekar and assured that they would continue to protest until this unjust decision of the VC is revoked with immediate effect.

The demonstration also got support from student council members of the MU along with support from several teachers. Various teachers have voiced their concern about this action of the MU administration and supported the protesting students. UCDE spokesperson Prashant told the media persons that if the MU administration refuses to respond to their demand, the agitation will be intensified. They will also run a signature campaign in support of Prof. Hatekar and submit it to the Chief Minister, Education Minister and Governor of Maharashtra if the MU administration refuses to listen to students' demands.

Prashant

(spokesperson)

University Community for Democracy and Equality (UCDE)