Education minister Vinod Tawde has warned employees of state universities against resorting to arm-twisting tactics to get their demands fulfilled around exam time and has said that the government will not hesitate to invoke the provisions of the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act, 2011 (MESMA) which it has been retraining from applying against dissenting employees, teachers and non-teaching staff so far. Mr Tawde was speaking at a seminar organised by Maharashtra Universities Officers Forum and Mumbai University Officers Welfare Association at the Mumbai University campus on Sunday.

“In the last one-and-a-half years, I have always stressed on the need to resolve issues through dialogue. However, at times some unions pull out their agitation card right on the eve of examination and try to get their demands met. Even as we speak, the non-teaching staff at the Mumbai University has resorted to an agitation. Such agitations are harming the students and in the near future if these unions resort to unnecessary agitations, then in order to protect the interests of the students I might be forced to enforce MESMA and then no one will be able to stop it,” said Mr Tawde. He added that pressure was building up on him from various sections of the society to enforce the act.

The MESMA Act was passed by the Congress regime to ensure that government employees do not hold the state to ransom by suspending services through strikes and agitations. “The employees resort to agitations claiming that the government is not willing to listen to them, but we have always kept our doors open and are willing to hold talks with them and resolve the matter amicably,” said Mr Tawde.

Mr Tawde further added that the universities needed to be autonomous and there should be no government control over them. He said that universities should use the autonomous status to protect the interests of the students and their education. He further expressed the hope that the universities do not misuse their autonomy and exhorted the teaching and non-teaching staff to contribute towards the upliftment of the universities.

Later, while addressing the gathering, Dr Sanjay Dehmukh, vice-chancellor, MU said that the university was aware of the problems being faced by the employees and would build quarters for them on the campus itself.