The Government degree college guest lecturers state coordination committee has been holding an indefinite strike and day-night dharna (a peaceful demonstration) in front of the administrative building in Shikaripur, a town in Karnataka, beginning on Monday, January 2.
The committee released a statement announcing their decision to hold an indefinite strike and day-night dharna in Shikaripura to call on former Chief Minister of Karnataka B S Yediyurappa to address their demand for regularisation of their services and provide economic security for their service of over 10 years.
The protestors also called on the current Chief Minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai, to address their issue and protect the welfare of thousands of guest faculty members working in 430 first-grade government colleges throughout the state. In a statement, the agitators pointed out that the department of collegiate education had issued a circular to terminate the services of these guest lecturers by the end of December 2022.
In opposition to this move, members of the committee from across the state staged protests at all district headquarters, calling for the halt of the recruitment of 1242 assistant professors under clause 14 of the KCSR rule 1977, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The commissioner of collegiate education held a meeting on December 31, 2022, and orally directed that the services of guest lecturers be continued until further notice. This order was welcomed by the members of the committee. But they also alleged that, “the department was just to apply balm for a wound, which again pushed the lives of thousands of guest lecturers into the lurch,” stated The New Indian Express report.
State president of the Government degree college guest lecturers state coordination committee, Dr Somashekhar H Shimoggi, and Prakash Hukkeri, as well as other office bearers, are participating in the indefinite strike and day-night dharna. The New Indian Express also reported that guest lecturers from various locations would join the dharna on a rotating basis, according to the agitators.
