DUTA PRESS RELEASE, 17.2.2016

MASSIVE DHARNA BY DU TEACHERS AND NON-TEACHING EMPLOYEES DEMANDING RELEASE OF PENSION

The DUTA along with the DUCKU(Delhi University and Colleges Karamchari Union), the DUCLSA(Delhi University and Colleges Lab Staff Association) and Delhi University and Colleges SC/ST Association staged a massive dharna at the Arts Faculty Gate today to demand the release of pensions of thousands of retired employees that have been held up by the DU administration since June 2014 in an illegal and arbitrary manner.

Thousands of teachers and non-teaching employees from various colleges and departments participated in the dharna and related their harrowing experiences of grave financial hardship as a result of the callous and vindictive actions of the DU authorities in denying them their due pension.

The DUTA, DUCKU, DUCLSA and DUCST/STA have demanded:

(i) the immediate release of pension for those whom the University itself had placed in the pension scheme(GPF) more than 18 years ago, but subsequently, in August 2014, took a unilateral and illegal decision not to honour that commitment. This group does not even have the CPF (lump sum) to fall back on, as the account was closed at the time of transfer to GPF.

(ii) the immediate withdrawal of the malicious anti-employee appeal filed by DU authorities challenging the relief given by the Hon'ble High Court in April 2014 to thousands of employees (who had been wrongly continued in CPF) after a prolonged legal battle. The appeal has resulted in the relief being stayed.

(iii) A one time option to the small number of employees who are not covered in the above two categories, but are a victim of the intense confusion created by DU authorities that did not properly publicise the Government Notification on Pension at the time of exercising their options in 1987.

The gathering expressed its optimism that the new Vice Chancellor, Prof Yogesh Tyagi, who is a legal expert, would take urgent steps to resolve the issue that has a life-threatening implication not just for thousands of senior citizens who have served the University with dedication, but also their families.
                                                      

NANDITA NARAIN President, DUTA

SANDEEP Secretary, DUTA

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