Staff hold MJP VC captive for six hours

BAREILLY: Grade III and IV employees of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule (MJP) Rohilkhand University held vice chancellor Mushahid Husain captive in his office on Wednesday for six hours to force him to accede to their demands.
More than 350 members of university staff under the banner of ‘ministerial staff association,’ comprising class III and IV employees, gheraoed the vice chancellor and did not allow him to emerge from his office between 11 am and 5 pm on Wednesday.
The staff has been demanding grade revision, leave encashment, and regularization of the employment of 30 contractual workers. The protesters were also seeking a reduction in the number of people employed through outsourcing agencies. The protesters claimed university authorities had been employing more staff than needed for security, cleaning and administrative work.
“We have been requesting authorities for long to approve our demands, but they have only been giving us fake assurances. That is why we held the vice chancellor captive today,” Sunil Yadav, president of the ministerial staff association said.
Zaheer Ahmed, public relations officer of the university, said, “After the intervention of the registrar, a discussion took place between senior officials of the university and the protesters. The VC has sought one day’s time to take a decision on the matter. The registrar has agreed to some of the demands, and said a final decision will be arrived at in a matter of about three days.”