Ambedkar Jayanti row: Uttarakhand high court halts transfer of professor couple

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand HC has ordered a stay on the transfer of a professor couple from Uttarkashi Degree College to Pithoragarh Degree College and paused the departmental investigation against them. Dr Ramesh Singh and his wife Dr Vinita Singh, both associate professors at the same college, had filed a petition in the court saying Uttarkashi Degree College took retaliatory action against them for opposing the college's decision to change the date of Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations at the institute.

They said the higher education department had instructed colleges to remain open and celebrate Dr B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary on April 14. But acting principal Madhu Thapliyal rescheduled the celebration to April 12. Following the couple's objection, Thapliyal placed Singh on extended leave, citing "false sexual harassment allegations from two years ago".

The court fixed June 11 for the next hearing. tnn