Punjabi University VC summoned by SC panel over promotion issue

Punjabi University VC summoned by SC panel over promotion issue

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in

The Chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC),  Vijay Sampla has summoned Punjabi University Patiala Vice Chancellor Prof. Arvind to appear personally along with a latest action taken report and all relevant documents including the relevant files and case diaries on 22 June in his office at New Delhi. The Commission has summoned the Vice Chancellor on a complaint of caste-based discrimination over the denial of promotion and arrear filed by the senior Dalit officer of the Punjabi University, Dr. Harminder Singh Khokhar.

In his complaint the former Indian Information Service (IIS) Officer, Dr. Harminder Singh Khokhar informed the SC Commission that he was appointed as APRO in 2001 against a permanent reserved post for SC candidate in the university and he was removed from service in 2003 as one post of APRO was abolished just to throw him out. While removing him from service the position regarding his appointment against permanent reserve post was ignored.

Dr. Khokhar further said that he was reinstated in 2008 by admitting the mistake that while abolishing the post, the fact due to this decision to abolish the post shall effect the vacancy that was reserved for SC candidate and the candidate belonging to SC category was working against this vacancy on regular basis after due process of selection, was not in the knowledge of the Syndicate.

Dr. Khokhar alleged that he was not given the pay for the period he was forced to remain out of service and has not been given a single promotion despite the completion of 20 years of excellent service despite the approval from university’s Syndicate. He further alleged that he has not been treated equally for the payment of back wages and promotion after the reinstatement in comparison to the other general category employees, against whom serious allegations of corruption and sexual harassment were proved who were reinstated in the service with back wages and promotion, he added.

According to Dr. Khokhar the amount of his arrear was only 4 lac rupees, but the anti-dalit authorities of the university had already wasted few lac rupees of cash-strapped university to defend this case till date.

Dr. Khokhar demanded that denying a legitimate right and placing wrong contents before the competent authority to take a lawful action against a SC person is a violation of SC & ST (POA) Act, 1989, because it was not brought to the notice of Syndicate that he was appointed on permanent reserve post, hence the persons who were responsible for placing the correct position before the Syndicate should be arrested under the section 3(1) (IX) of the SC & ST (POA) Act, 1989, he added.

Punjabi University VC summoned by SC panel over promotion issue. Dr. Khokhar had sent many representations to the university authorities in this regard but no action has been taken, then he was forced to file a complaint with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. The Chairman of the Commission has decided to summon the Vice Chancellor to appear in person in his office at New Delhi after the university officials were failed to file a reply on repeated letters and reminders from the Commission.

June 20,2021