UP: BHU Gardeners Protest After Non-payment of Salaries for Five Months, Allege 'Inhuman Treatment' by Professor In-charge

Lucknow: On Monday, around 50 employees of the Horticulture Department at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), consisting of gardeners and sweepers, protested against not being given their salaries for the last five months. They were hired on contract for a year. Though their tenure has been extended, they have not been paid their salaries.

The protesting employees staged a dharna on the university premises and took out a march by raising slogans in favour of their demands. In the scorching heat, using hand-made fans to beat the heat, the protestors raised slogans such as Hamari maange poori karo” (fulfil our demands), "arrear diya jaye" (arrear should be given), etc. Their other demands include timely payment, direct salary remittance from their principal employer, an 8-hour work day, weekly off, and exemption from work on national holidays.

They condemned the administration for its apathetic attitude as they had approached it many times but to no avail. They were facing difficulty in meeting ends. They also accused Prof. Anil Singh, the Horticulture Department, of misbehaving with the gardeners whenever they inquired about their salaries.

Ram Babu, who has worked in the university for 10 years through different agencies, told NewsClick that the irregularity in paying salaries has been worrying the workers as many have taken loans at exorbitant rates to run their households.

"We have been running from pillar to post to get our salaries. I have to pay rent and school fees for the children. We have not been paid for five months and have taken loans worth Rs 10,000. For how long can one run a household on debt? No BHU official is ready to talk to us,” he said, adding, "We work round the clock to make campus beautiful. Neither we get an EPF facility nor any medical care. There is a fear of being bitten by wild animals during the rainy season, but we are forced to do our work. Whenever we ask about our pending salary, professor Anil Singh misbehaves with us," Babu said.

They also raised serious allegations against professor Singh and his wife.

"Apart from university work, Singh also gets his relatives' housework done, and when we opposed, he threatened to fire us," another employee Ganesh Kumar Gaur said, adding that he has been borrowing money from people, but they too want him to pay back now.

"If the situation remains the same, we will have to look for another job to meet our ends."

However, BHU chief proctor Abhimanyu Singh said, “The respective departments have been directed to look into the issue and address the problem.”

“The proctor and other concerned officials gave no written assurance regarding the payment of salaries, which have been pending for various categories of workers.

"We will hold protests starting Friday and observe the situation daily. If the administration remains adamant over the non-payment of salaries and other dues, we will go on an indefinite strike,” said Babu.

Meanwhile, Bhagat Singh Chhatra Morcha (BCM), a student organisation, supported the protesting employees and said that keeping employees on contract by the university administration and not giving them full salary and facilities are part of the government's policy of promoting privatisation and contract practice. If their demands are not met soon, there will be fierce agitation, the organisation said.

"The university administration is harassing its employees by not paying their salary on time. This is not the first time their salary has been delayed for six months, but it is a routine affair. All of them were treated inhumanely, and no benefits, including medical facilities, leaves, EPF, etc., were given to them," BCM told NewsClick.