AMU ad hoc workers take out 'funeral procession' over demand for permanency

The non-teaching employees of the Aligarh Muslim University on Tuesday observed a namaz-e-janaza, or funeral prayers, against the varsitys allegedly failing to respond to their protest which entered its 25th day.

The non-teaching employees of the Aligarh Muslim University on Tuesday observed a 'namaz-e-janaza,' or funeral prayers, against the varsity's allegedly failing to respond to their protest which entered its 25th day. The protesters have been demanding regularisation of ad hoc employees. The 'funeral procession' started from Duck point inside the campus and culminated in front of the Registrar office complex.

The main gate of the administrative block was locked and the protestors could not enter the complex. Addressing the protestors, who were there in hundreds, Faisal Rais, one of their leaders, demanded the university pay 1,500 ad hoc employees their long overdue allowances, increments, and called for regularisation of their services.

He said many of them have been serving the varsity for more than two decades and must be made permanent.

Rais said that among those seeking regularisation are 550 employees who are working as daily wagers at the varsity for several years.

Despite several efforts to work out a reasonable solution, the AMU authorities have failed to respond to them, protesters claimed. Rais said that if the university does not work with them on a solution, the employees would have no option but to ''intensify'' their movement.