| Posted date: 03 Wed, Feb 2010 – 04:49:14 PM |
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| Rajesh Haleangady
Mangalore : M P Umeshchandra, a lecturer of Mass Communication and Journalism in Mangalore University, who has been in the eye of a storm in the wake of the protest against him by his students, has been finally transferred as the Special Officer at the Mangalore University SC/ST employees’ cell.
With this, the MCJ students who had taken recourse to protest against their teacher have returned to classes after 11 days. One phase of agitation is over with legal battles certain to continue.
While students’ version of their defence found ample space in media throughout the strike, beleaguered lecturer Umeshchandra’s version was not given its due.
The mangaloreheadlines.com spoke to Umeshchandra on various aspects of the issue. Excerpts…
MH: Mangalore University has been in the news for wrong reasons. People outside think that something bad is going on in the varsity. You are being projected as the villain. How all it began?
Umeshchandra: This is because I have been critical of Sangha Parivar, Gujarath Chief Minister Narendra Modi and BJP. The RSS is responsible for the casteism prevalent in India. The organisation is ensuring that the casteism is preserved in Indian society. So, as an MCJ lecturer I felt that to educate my students is my duty. It is my duty to ensure that my students’ vision is not blocked by narrow and partisan considerations.
I used to describe Narendra Modi as a psychopath. Because he is not repentant even after masterminding the large scale carnage of Muslims in Gujarath. I used to say that the person who is going to write the autobiography of Modi is also a psychopath.
I used to oppose Brahminism, not Brahmins.
Brahminsm is the greatest contradiction of Indian society, not Capitalism. Brahminism thrives on the strength of Capitalism. Capitalism came into existence three-four centuries ago. But Brahminism is there since 5000 years.
RSS and Brahminism are retrograde forces. I am duty bound to educate my students about this. I am committed to propagate truth. I will continue to do so.
What I said in classes was being reported to the department head and the editor of a Kannada newspaper. There is a hotline between the same editor and the University.
Some interests in the University and the particular editor hatched a conspiracy against me. As a result of this the newspaper published a derogatory report against me terming me as psychopath a couple of months ago. The report also said that I was indicted by the court and Univesity did not take action against me.
In reality, court had upheld my stand in a case pertaining to shortage of attendance of students. The report was completely wrong and malicious. So, I filed a defamation case against the editor. Instead of rectifying the mistake the editor took it as a matter of prestige and published a series of defamatory articles. They were all concocted stories devoid of any truth. By doing so the paper has thrown to the wind all the ethics of journalism.
This is not fair. Any reporter of that paper has not spoken to me till now. They did not think I may have something to say.
To avoid such things we need news room diversity on the lines of the one in Western countries, wherein a media organization consists of people from all religion, race and colour. For the first time Lankesh implemented this concept in his paper.
The same editor then instigated the students against me even if there are no reasons to protest against me.
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MH: Students have submitted a set of complaints against you to the University authorities…
Umeshchandra: There is not an iota of truth in the complaints against me. Actually, the complaint was drafted by a lawyer, not by students. The complaint says I go out of syllabus and waste time dwelling on unnecessary subjects.
I do not think educating journalism students on current affairs and relevant subjects is out of syllabus. I speak on relevant subjects. This is beneficial for them. Many students, barring a few, have welcomed this. People behind all this drama are scared that their communal agenda on the university campus would be defeated by me. So, they are now up in arms against me.
Most of the times the syllabi are open ended. They are vague. At that time lecturers are in problem. In such cases I have educated my students by covering most of the subject. Another allegation is that I do not finish syllabus on time. This is false. I take special classes to cover the subjects. I finish the syllabus very much on time.
When the complaint against me went to the University lawyers’ panel it felt that there is nothing in the complaint on the basis of which action can be taken against me. In fact, one of the lawyers asked students to level sexual harassment charges against me. But, my students refused to do so, saying that I was not of that character.
MH: Students alleged that you criticize Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari and seers of maths…
Umeshchandra: No. I have never criticised Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari. I have respect for him. Even if I don’t have respect I am not a stupid to criticice them in public.
MH: Students said you discriminate between the students on the basis of caste…
Umeshchandra: I have never done that. When I joined the University in 2003 I observed banners like “Navella Hindu, navella ondu” (We are Hindus, we are equal). But this is not truth. This is true only at the time of communal violence in attacking Muslims. But when it comes to availing benefits of reservations in IIMs, IITs and other institutions by backward classes, there is stiff resistance. Forget this. When you go to Udupi math, Hindus are not equal there. They have to have meals in separate places on the basis of their caste.
In this background, once I asked students how many of you are ABVP members. When some of them raised hands I criticized them giving them all this instances. This is what happened.
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| MH: What about the attendance controversy?
Umeshchandra: Firstly, absenteeism is a problem in MCJ classes. This is not a problem in other classes. Students do not attend classes. But when they face attendance shortage they come to teachers asking for attendance. The do not read properly, but ask teachers to pass them.
Beides, there was an inconsistency in the university in pursuing the rules governing attendance shortage. University authorities have made it a habit to allow students whom they favour to appear for exams and others not to.
In 2008, nine students of my class faced attendance shortage. I did not do it deliberately. If students come to class I mark present, if not I mark absent. They did not attend classes, so had shortage.
That year I submitted the attendance register directly to the registrar. MCJ Head of the Department K V Nagaraj wanted me to give attendance to some of the students. I refused to do it on the grounds that there should be consistency in pursuing rules. The matter went to the then Vice Chancellor K M Kaveriappa who asked me to give attendance to students. I refused. Instead I suggested that the University can make them eligible to appear for examination by way of a special order.
Then Kaveriapa and Nagaraj and others guided the students to go to court to get a decree to write examinations.
During that year I had attended a refreshing camp for 15 days. But, I had covered that absence of mine by taking special classes. But I had not mentioned this in attendance register. The court then asked the authorities to add appropriate number of attendance to students. Then seven of them qualified and the remaining two were still facing shortage. The two were not allowed to sit for exam. The court ruled out any possibility of taking action against me or imposing fine on me, but vindicated my stand. But, the particular newspaper wrongly reported that the court asked the University authorities to take action against me.
MH: Are you angry with your students?
Umeshchandra: Not at all. They are my students. They were just misguided. I have forgiven them. I have tried to convince them that they are protesting against me without a reason. I encourage their protest if there is truth. At the same time, not all MCJ students were taking part in the protest. Only a handful of students were behind the protest. The others took part in it out of fear. Besides, many students did not associate themselves with the protest. They had been to their home towns during the protest fearing reprisal from others for not taking part in protests.
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| Comments |
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| putturaj |
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| Type your message he is arrogant and sadist he does not know anything other than that, he is a psychiatric patient he has to be excused and left to reconsile in an assylum
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| raghu dharmasena |
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| anti constitution people,anti india people ganged up against umeshchandra,these people shouid go to pakistan or afganistan,tulunadus indigenous poeple and students beware about these foreigners anti indigenous pople politics
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| Raju |
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| Being lecturer Umeshchandra has to know his limitations, he is openly telling that he don’t like ABVP and their agenda it is too bad.
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| Somu |
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| Hi,
My friend ‘Kanasu’ says that ” People like umeshchandra have taken to academics just because they did not get any other jobs” , If it is so, then even Kanasu would have been a lecturer in one of the college. I think kanasu is not even fit to that. Un necessary commenting on others without knowing how the recruitment of PG lecturer is appointed.
My friend ‘Mahesh chandra’ says Mr Umesh chandra is bluffing in interview and claims himself that ‘spirited’ speach is recorded by the student. If the same is recorded then why the same has not been provided by the students to the media. Here i feel ‘Mahesh chandra is bluffing by saying its recorded. all crab.
My friend ‘Dinakar shetty’ claims that Mr umesh chandra should not make class room as court. Here i think he has not understood that what MCJ subject pertains to. To understand the subject in practical i feel that to bring the political on going is very much essential as an examples. Moreover here he is not giving any judgement on his own or he is not doing any partiality being a lecturer.
Mr Umesh chandra has several years of experience in same university, then why dint the other batch students have the problem with him.
It is clearly visible that the students have been misguided, hence they have protested against him which has led to the disaster of transfering him to other department.
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| rediffmail.com |
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| Nata |
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| Mangalore University MCJ students seems to be biased, they must have been in primary level, unfortunately entered postgraduation. A lecturer of postgraduation has to cover each and every corner of the subject, including current affairs, it is his at most duty. Being a resposible lecturer Mr. Umeshchandra did his best, that to a course of MCJ all those things are needed and class should be like debate. it is shame that students behaved so, if they are like this how they (students) work for society. Anyway thanks to MH.
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| yahoo.co.in |
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| vijay |
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| You should have asked Mr. Umeshchandra as to how many years of media experience before he joined lecturing. Why cannot you people have an interview with the students who protested against him?
I don’t think interview brings out any truth. The truth that Mr. Umeshchandra tried to divide the students on the caste and community lines is already a known fact to everyone.
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| Vinayaka, Kateel |
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| Nothing wrong in the interview of Umeshchandra. Mangalore Headlines did right thing. So far we heard only one side story. Now we are hearing different story. Something going on wrong in Mangalore University. This is not good for University.
I hope Mangalore Headlines will able to bring the truth to the public.
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| Dinakara Shetty, Mulky, Qatar |
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| Umeshchandra should not makes class room as a court. He don’t have any right to give judgement of political ongoings in the country. He is a lecture, he should be a impartial.
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| Shiva, Bengaluru |
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| The interview of Umeshchandra shows why students protested on him. Whatever may be his views, opinions, he should not bring it to the class and students. He is openly agreeing that he oppose Brahminism, ABVP, BJP, Modi , Hindu Seers etc. Then how can we expect this person to be unbiased in class ? Definitely he is out of his limits and students are right in protesting this. Let him teach the lessons of the syllabus, students will decide what is good and what is bad for the country, not Umeshchandra.
Publish the opinions of students also.
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| sringerikumar |
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| Shame to cheap politics by students. |
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| Ravishanker, Mangalore |
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| May be students got job offer for protest.
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| mahesh chandra |
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| I think this lone crusader to contest elections, win and then campaign for singleside agenda rather than simply spoiling minds of students.
he is clearly telling the lie in interviw that he had not abused Dharmadikaari, becos his ‘spirited’ speech is said to be recorded by students
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| Lekshmi M Kumaran |
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very brave journalism considering the local situation. keep it up. i feel sorry for students who are not in classes to learn, to grow..especially those who are budding journalists..closed minds and religious dogma do not make a well rounded journalist. classrooms esp PG rooms are for debate, enquiry and exploration …sad if these kids are blind already.
i had worked with a former student of this mcj course and i can vouch that he lacked basic knowledge of journalism and communication…
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| Sunil kudupu |
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Nice intreview Rajesh Bai. we urge umeshchndra to contive his fight for social jusitce.
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| Rajinder |
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| Umeshchandra is really great. Now I understood why students protested against him. All the best Mr Umeshchandra.
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| Santhosh, D’souza |
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| Mangalore University in the News for wrong reason. It is very sad.
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| Jithen, Kundapura |
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| anyway all is over know? Finally who win the battle. Shame to cheap politics by students.
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| sunil |
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good interview. prove real picure.umeshchndra is a good teacher & good human resource person.rajesh highlight good things.thanks haleyangady
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| Kanasu |
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| What can be said of these lecturers? People like umeshchandra have taken to academics just because they did not get any other jobs. I think he might be a relative of Mahesh chandra Guru of Mysore University who also faced the same treatment.
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| Anujaya, Mangalore |
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| The interview revealing that Mangalore University is controlled by mouthpiece of upper caste people.
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