Over 500 Global Academics Urge SAARC Foreign Ministers To Intervene In SAU Suspensions

The South Asian University (SAU) suspended the four faculty members on grounds of alleged misconduct on June 16, 2023.

SAU teachers seek intervention of SAARC minister in suspension. ( Image Source :SAU )

In a strong show of solidarity, more than 500 academics from around the world have come forward to condemn the suspension of four teachers at the South Asian University (SAU). In an appeal to the foreign ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the academics have called for their intervention in this matter. The request aims to address the issue and ensure justice for the affected teachers at SAU.

They have urged the ministers to “intervene in this regard and call upon the SAU administration to immediately revoke the unfair and arbitrary suspension orders and establish a congenial academic environment in the university.” 

On June 16, 2023, the South Asian University (SAU) suspended the four faculty members on grounds of alleged misconduct. However, the specific nature of the alleged misconduct was not specified in the suspension orders. The four faculty members suspended are - Snehashish Bhattacharya from the Faculty of Economics, Srinivas Burra from the Faculty of Legal Studies, Irfanullah Farooqi from the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Science, and Ravi Kumar, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Science.

It is worth noting that the suspended faculty members had previously received show-cause notices on December 30, 2022. The show-cause notices were issued to them as a result of their emails to the university community, wherein they expressed concerns and questioned the perceived lack of empathy in the SAU administration's handling of two key issues. These issues included a protest by students regarding a reduction in their monthly stipend and demands for fair representation in sexual harassment and gender sensitization committees.

The letter states that: “The administration, rather, called in police to disperse students exercising their democratic right to protest. The suspended professors had registered their concerns about calling the police to the campus to intervene against students and regarding the retributive measures taken by the administrators against the protesting students. The professors were urging the university to take a constructive approach to addressing the students' concerns and resolving conflicts.” 

“Ultimately, the goal of any academic institution is to create an environment that protects the welfare of students while upholding the principles of justice, fairness, and respect for the rights of faculty members, ” the letter stated.

The arbitrariness and callous disregard with which the administrators have taken action against the professors violate the norms of accountability, transparency, integrity and sustainability of academic institutions. This will undermine a vibrant and productive academic community and can erode the trust and academic character of the university,” the letter further reads.

The letter has been signed by eminent global scholars and intellectuals like Akeel Bilgrami, Amit Bhaduri, Anu Muhammad, Anupama Rao, Costas Lapavitsas, David Ruccio, Gyan Prakash, Irfan Habib, Jayadeva Uyangoda, Jayati Ghosh, Kevin Anderson, Mukul Kesavan, Nancy Folbre, Partha Chatterjee, Prabhat Patnaik, Satish Deshpande, Sheldon Pollock, S. D. Muni, Tony Anghie, Zoya Hasan, and others.