Seminary staff strike, want principal out

A majority of faculty members and non-teaching staff of the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary (TTS), Madurai, struck work on Monday and remained on the campus demanding removal of the principal of the college.

J David Rajendran, a faculty member, told reporters that they decided to observe disobedience in support of their demands. They wanted the ouster of the principal after the Governing Council (GC) of the TTS constituted a committee to probe various complaints. “If the principal continues in his post, the inquiry cannot be conducted impartially,” he added.

An interim administrative committee headed by the vice-principal and comprising the faculty secretary, bursar should be formed to look into the affairs of the college. The terms of reference of the inquiry committee should be expanded to probe the entire gamut of the irregularities, Rajendran said. The reorganisation plan should be discussed by the interim committee and put forward to the GC, he added. Faculty secretary Tenson Hector, Bursar John Jeyakaran, secretary of All Executive Staff Union K Muthu were present. They also organised a sit-in-protest inside the campus reiterating their demands.

Denying the charges, principal M Gnanavaram said vested interests were behind the stir. “As I am from a Dalit background, I am being targeted,” he added. He said the GC had already constituted a committee to inquire into the complaints and a detailed letter was given by him. “The members of the committee will visit the college in two weeks and present their findings to the GC, whose decisions are binding,” he added.

H A Martin, chairman of the GC of TTS, constituted a committee consisting of J J Christodoss, Bishop,  CSI, Tirunelveli Diocese, E D Charles, Secretary, Church Council, Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church (TELC), B Jesudian, Secretary, Church Board.