Vinobha K T/Newindpress

Mangalore, Jan 5: She fought relentless for more than 17 years seeking justice from lower courts to the Supreme Court.

And when all the courts including Supreme Court decreed in her favour, justice should have been served. But not so in the case of Shakuntala Kamath who is now on a relay hunger strike in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here from December 31.

Shakunthala Kamath, after completing post graduation (secured second rank) from the Mangalore University, was appointed as a Political Science lecturer in a college, named after one of the country’s greatest social reformers Narayan Guru.

Her dreams on career front came crashing and her future seemed like a blur when she was terminated from the service without assigning any reason in 1992.

But this did not deter her and decided to fight legally for her reinstatement in the same college. She won the legal battle against Narayan Guru College Management in the district court in 2000 and High Court too upheld the lower court’s decision in 2002.

Finally, a special leave petition filed by the management was also dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2003.

Though the courts dispensed justice in favour of Shakunthala Kamath, the management ensured injustice prevailed by refusing to reinstate her. Instead, they resorted to games torturing her mentally by refusing permission to enter the staff room and classrooms. She was forced to sit on a chair outside the office and her due payment was also slashed.

She filed a petition in the district court in 2003 seeking reinstatement without conditions. Following this, the court directed the institute to reinstate her unconditionally with the same salary which other lecturers were receiving.

Cocking a snook at the courts, the management brazenly continued with their maltreatment reducing her to a complete wreck.

Finally, a distressed Shakunthala Kamath chose the only option before her- the Gandhian Sathyagraha. She has been on an indefinite protest in front of the DC office and has received backings from the Association of Mangalore University College Teachers (AMUCT) and similar organisations.

“This is my last attempt at securing justice. If I fail, I have no option other than suicide,” Shakunthala Kamath confessed before this website’s newspaper.

“The way a college management treats it’s lecturers is a collective shame for education sector in the city,” she said forcefully.

Shakunthala Kamath who wrote to the President of India, Women Commission, AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, CPIM leader Brinda Karat and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy seeking justice, nurtures a hope of teaching in the same college without any distress.