New Delhi: Following the suspension of four professors from the South Asian University (SAU) in Delhi on 16 June over allegations of ‘misconduct’, over 500 academics from across universities in India, the US, Australia, and the UK, among other, countries have written to The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to “immediately revoke the unfair and arbitrary suspension orders”.
Located in Delhi, the SAU is an international university established by the eight SAARC member nations. Its degrees are accredited in and recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and its equivalents in all SAARC countries. The university offers graduate and doctoral level courses.
The letter comes days after 83 academics from Bangladesh wrote to the university demanding the same thing — that the professors be reinstated.
“The censuring actions taken against the professors stand in conflict with the traditions of openness, dialogue, and mutuality that are the hallmarks of the Indian education system,” the letter from the group of international academics read, a copy of which is with ThePrint.
Academics from universities, such as Princeton, Columbia, and even the University of California in the US are part of the 502 signatories. Teachers from The London School of Economics and SOAS University of London, too, have co-signed this letter.
Among Indian universities, academics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Delhi and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, and Aligarh Muslim University are also demanding that the SAU professors be reinstated and that they “establish a congenial academic environment in the university.”
“The arbitrariness and callous disregard with which the administrators have taken actions against the professors violate the norms of accountability, transparency, integrity and sustainability of academic institutions,” the letter added.
The SAU protests
The suspensions of the SAU professors — who were accused of “running a Marxist study circle and inciting student protest on campus” — came months after the university saw various student protests in November 2022. The students were seeking an increase in the monthly stipend for Master’s and PhD programmes, among other demands. Due to this, various classes had been halted.
The suspended professors include Dr Snehashish Bhattacharya, Faculty of Economics; Dr Srinivas Burra, Faculty of Legal Studies; and Dr Irfanullah Farooqi and Dr Ravi Kumar from the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Their letter of suspension states that an investigation is underway and directs the four to not leave the station, vacate their offices or return their belongings, such as office computers and identity cards. But they have also been instructed to continue registering their attendance on all working days.
“Actions show these officials and administrators have no concern for academic practices or integrity, and neither research nor teaching is their priority,” said the letter from Bangladeshi academics to the SAU.
When asked to comment on the letter, the SAU told ThePrint that it was “not aware of any such letter”.
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