Non-teaching staff of music university not paid salary for 10 months

Mysuru: A relay hunger strike being staged by thenon-teaching staff of the Dr Gangubai Music and Performing Arts University, demanding payment of salary arrears for 10 months, is nearing 100 days.

They alleged that the university had denied them permission to enter the institutionfor the last two months.

The members of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Dalit SangharshaSamithi and other progressive organisations took part in the relay hunger strike. The employees were appointed 10 years ago by the ViceChancellor at that time after securing due approval from the University Syndicate.

They lamented that the government had not responded to their pleas even though they launched the hunger strike nearly hundred days. The

university officials and representatives, too, were indifferent to their plight, they complained.

The protesters expressed the anguish that the Chief Minister, ministers and other officials concerned visited Mysuru but did not listen to any of their issues.

When the issue was raised by MLC KT Srikante Gowda in theState Legislative Council session, the university showed the striking employees a copy of the government order that had inAugust 2012 approved 19 posts for the university established in 2009.

But, the university had appointed 21 persons on temporary basis without following the regulations.

It was also pointed out in the reply that the government's permission was mandatory to create or fill posts in any of the State-run universities. The government had taken serious note of the proposals submitted to the Finance Department for release of salaries to temporary employees appointed over and above the sanctioned posts and had issued a circular to remove them from service.