Posted On June 3, 2020

Visakhapatnam: Dalit unions staged a protest at Andhra University on Tuesday demanding suspension of varsity registrar Professor V Krishna Mohan for allegedly humiliating the head of the department of political sciences and public administration, Prof P Premanandam. They also demanded that the police register a case against the registrar under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Premanandam said he organised a seven-day ‘research methodology course for SC/ST research scholars in social sciences for South India students’ from February 7 to 14 at the AU campus. He incurred expenses to the tune of Rs 2.2 lakh for the course. Out of the Rs 2.2 lakh ICSSR-SRC, Hyderabad, sanctioned Rs 1.76 lakh.

“I approached the registrar to forward the bills to ICSSR for the remaining Rs 44,000. But ultimately, he abused and humiliated me in his office on March 20. He said, ‘useless fellow, get out of my room’ and also used unparliamentarily language,” alleged Prof Premanandam.

However, Prof Krishna Mohan has denied the allegations and said that they are false and fabricated.

“No conversation took place between Prof Premanandam and I. He had already collected the utilisation certificates and forwarded them to the funding agency of the course. I do not know why he is making such allegations after two months,” the registrar said.

The controversy took political colour when TDP national general secretary and former minister Nara Lokesh took to Twitter and commented, “I seriously condemn the caste discrimination showed against Dalit professor Premanandam. I demand serious action against those who humiliated Prof Premanandam.” Lokesh also mentioned about Dr Sudhakar and other recent alleged false cases against Dalit leaders and activists in his tweet.

Courtesy : TNN