300 academics urge SAARC to intervene in 'unjust dismissal' of South Asian University professor
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Photo courtesy of The Indian Express
Delhi: A large number of academics around the world have urged the Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar to intervene in the dismissal of Dr Snehashish Bhattacharya, Associate Professor of Economics at the South Asian University (SAU) in New Delhi, The Indian Express reported.
In their letter to Md. Golam Sarwar, more than 300 scholars from universities from around the world termed the action against Bhattacharya ‘unjust and punitive dismissal’.
The outlet previously reported that Bhattacharya was among four faculty members suspended over allegedly ‘inciting students against the interest of the university’ during a stipend protest earlier with his service having terminated on September 11 this year in retrospective effect from June 2023.
The letter reportedly stated that 'the scholars have urged the Secretary-General to call upon SAU to immediately rescind Dr Bhattacharya’s termination, to protect academic freedom within the institution', and to uphold the founding ideals of collegiality, dialogue, and intellectual independence.’
The scholar called Bhattacharya’s dismissal ‘a distortion of his record and commitment to academic integrity’, adding that the administration acted ‘without transparency, fairness, or credible evidence’ leading to creating what they said ‘a climate of fear among students and staff’.
Several prominent academics are among signatories including ‘Ha-Joon Chang (SOAS University of London); Jayati Ghosh (University of Massachusetts Amherst); Amit Bhaduri and Prabhat Patnaik (Jawaharlal Nehru University); Partha Chatterjee (Columbia University); Rathin Roy, former member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council; and Guy Standing (SOAS University of London)’.
The signatories termed Dr Bhattacharya’s dismissal not only a threat to an individual’s career, but also against ‘broader principles of academic freedom and collegiality’.