In her FB post, Kerala minister Bindu requests Dalit research student to call off hunger strike скачать в хорошем качестве

In her FB post, Kerala minister Bindu requests Dalit research student to call off hunger strike

DeepaMohan#MinisterBindu#MGuniversityresearchscholar Thrissur: Kerala Higher Education Minister R Bindu has said that the government is concerned over the health condition of research scholar Deepa P Mohan. In a Facebook post, the minister requested Deepa to call off her indefinite hunger strike against the MG University administration and assured to take action over her issues. Deepa has been protesting against the university and her former research guide and the director of the International and Inter-University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IIUCNN) Nandakumar Kalarickal. Deepa alleges that Nandakumar is not letting her complete PhD as she is a Dalit. The university has agreed to all her demands except one - removing Nandakumar. The VC has assured that he will take over the guide-ship and help her finish the PhD. Bindu has asked the university for an explanation on the 'technical problem' in expelling the faculty from the position during the enquiry period. The minister also said that she could not visit her as she tested positive for Covid-19. Deepa P Mohanan has also alleged caste discrimination by a section in the university over the last ten years. With her protest reaching its 9th day on Saturday, Mohanan has received support from various quarters. A cluster of well-known social activists and writers also urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to intervene. On November 3rd, she also raised a fresh allegation of sexual harassment from a couple of persons in the university earlier. Though she said that she had informed the university authorities about this, they turned a deaf ear. A native of Kannur district in Kerala, Mohanan joined the Kottayam MG University in 2011-12 for doing MPhil in Nanoscience. Mohanan said that since then she has been facing discrimination especially from a section of top faculty members of the International and Inter University Centre or Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IIUCNN). She said that she was denied facilities for doing projects and her MPhil certificate was delayed in a bid to sabotage her admission. She was also not allowed to use the lab and was denied basic facilities like a seat in the university she has reported. Mohanan had earlier approached court and also a panel appointed by the university had looked into her issues. “Even as the court and panel responded positively to my concerns and directed them to provide me adequate facilities to complete her PhD, the university authorities showed apathy towards her me, she lamented. The University vice chancellor Sabu Thomas had initiated talks with Mohanan on Monday. He gave her the assurance that she would have every academic freedom in the university and nothing would prevent her from using the facilities like library. As Mohanan went ahead with the stir, the district administration intervened and assured her of district collector’s meeting with her. Mohanan was shifted to hospital by Tuesday evening. But she again returned to strike venue in front of the university.