Classes resume at protest-hit womens college in Jammu

Classes at the government women's college here resumed today after remaining suspended for the past four days due to a student agitation.
The agitation by the students led to removal of the principal which was followed by a strike called by teachers against the "hasty decision" of the government.
"Classes resumed this morning after remaining suspended for the past four days," newly appointed in-charge principal of the college, Geetanjali Andotra told PTI.
She said the college opened for normal academic activities and all the teachers and students attended their classes for the first time after Tuesday.
Andotra replaced Anita Sudan as the principal after the government ordered her attachment on August 23 following widespread protests by students accusing the management of imposing "unnecessary diktats" on dress code and using abusive language and passing of 'lewd remarks'.

"Pending inquiry into the matter, Anita Sudan, Principal, government college for women, Parade, Jammu is hereby attached with Director College Higher Education department with immediate effect," Additional Secretary, higher education department, Mohmmad Ashraf Hakak had said in an order.

The order was passed after the students boycotted their classes for the second day, staged a rally up to the office of Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Rajiv Rajan, and submitted a memorandum demanding removal of the college principal.
While the students welcomed the government decision and returned to the college after two days of protest on August 24, the teaching and non-teaching staff stayed away from work and did not attend classes expressing solidarity with Sudan.

The college teachers' association went on a day-long pen down strike yesterday protesting against the government's decision and accusing it of removing the principal on "flimsy grounds", which affected work in all colleges across Jammu.
Sudan had dismissed the allegations as "wild" and had claimed that she had taken several steps like strict adherence to college uniform and timing on recommendations of the parents of several students after four women went missing in the recent past.