Udupi: Lecturer creates chaos in Kaup college, tears up show cause notice

Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Updated

Udupi, Jan 24: The students of Polipu Government Pre-University College, Kaup on Thursday, January 23 protested against the prolonged absence and misbehavior of their Kannada lecturer.

It is said that the Amar Narayana Swami M, who was appointed last year as a Kannada lecturer at the college, remained absent for most part of the probabationary period in the last seven months but was getting his salary on time. It is said that during the seven months, he took classes only for about 30-35 days at the beginning of the academic year, after which went to his hometown, Mula Bagilu in Kolar and never returned.

Considering the difficulties faced by the students because of his habitual absence, the college made alternative arrangements and got a temporary lecturer to take Kannada classes and Narayana Swami's salary was put on hold. However, there was no provision to appoint a full-time lecturer to replace Narayana.

It is said that the principal had sent a show cause notice to his Kolar address earlier, but there was no reply.

On Thursday afternoon, Narayana Swami came to meet principal Veena Rao and demanded to know why his salary had been stopped. He also demanded a conduct certificate from her and threatened that he would complain against her if the certificate was not issued.

When the matter was reported to S R Shinda, deputy director of public instruction, he instructed the principal to issue a show cause notice to the lecturer asking him to explain his prolonged absence in writing. 

However, the lecturer tore the show cause notice issued by the principal and said that he had not come to answer anyone's questions.

The students, lecturers, college development committee, Polipu Mogaveera Sabha, Mogaveera Mahila Sabha and parents of the students who came to know about the matter protested in the premises of the college. He even lambasted the media persons who were present and warned them against reporting the issue in newspapers.

S R Shinda, deputy director of public instruction who received the complaint against Amar Narayana Swami from the principal, parents, and the college development committee said that he will recommend to the superiors the dismissal of the lecturer.

Sources said that earlier when he was employed in Kolar, he was found guilty of immoral conduct and was transferred to Udupi.

Before becoming a lecturer, he worked in the information department at Kolar, where he was arrested for sending lewd text messages to a colleague. He was later granted bail by the JMFC court.

Most of the students in this college are from financially backward families. There are 82 students in Kannada batch. Speaking to daijiworld, a student said that though final examinations are approaching, 75 percent of the syllabus in Kannada was yet to be completed. She urged that grace marks be given to the students.