Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee and BJP MP Kirti Azad at a press conference addressed by St. Stephen’s College Alumni Association in New Delhi on Friday. — Bunny Smith
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee and BJP MP Kirti Azad at a press conference addressed by St. Stephen’s College Alumni Association in New Delhi on Friday. — Bunny Smith
A group of alumni and teachers of St. Stephen’s College on Friday opposed principal Valson Thampu’s move to amend the 102-year-old constitution of the institute, and said they will seek intervention of President Pranab Mukherjee and the HRD minister in this regard.
Former test cricketer and an alumnus Kirti Azad described the present situation at his alma mater as “disgusting” and said the issue will be raised in Parliament by the MPs who are alumni of the college.
“There are at least 17 alumni of St. Stephen’s who sit in Parliament. The issues, including the non-democratic functioning of the college administration and proposed changes in the constitution, will be raised in Parliament on Monday,” he said at a press briefing.
Mr Thampu, who is retiring in February next year, had come up with a draft amendment in which he had proposed that the principal be empowered to take disciplinary action against students or staff irrespective of the governing body’s opinion.
He also called for giving a major say to the Church of North India (CNI) in the functioning of the college, handing over the powers to appoint faculty and admissions to its supreme council and recasting the governing body.
The amendment in the constitution also proposed to replace St. Stephen’s College Trust, which currently runs the college, with a St. Stephen’s Educational Society that will have the power to establish Stephen’s-like private institutions across the country.
While St. Stephen’s faculty as well as the staff association have rejected outrightly the proposed amendments and urged the governing body to delay the process till the time Mr Thampu has retired, the members of Church of North India have come out in support, contending the amendments will benefit students and the institution.
Several prominent alumni, including Arjun awardee Raja Randhir Singh, former Union minister Sandip Dikshit, BJD MP Kalikesh, Congress leader Sharmishtha Mukherjee, senior journalist Satish Jacob were present in the press conference.
