A group of employees of Avinashilingam Deemed University, who formed an association, today condemned the activities of certain members of the teaching, non-teaching faculty and students for the protest in the university for the last six months, leading to its indefinite closure.

The protest was in fearful anticipation that the management was trying to convert the university into a self-financing one. There were several rounds of talks to break the dead lock, but all yielded to naught.

The striking faculty wanted the management to show the MoA, entered into by the University and UGC. The university had not done that so far. This had led to suspicion in the minds of students, parents and also the staff.

In the meanwhile the Association held a press meet here on Thursday to condemn the protest.

“Considering the ‘uncomfortable situation,’ we have formed the Avinashilingam Deemed
University Employees’ Welfare Association, which wants to negate the claims of the
group,” its President Dorothy Janannathan told reporters here.

Stating that nearly 150 members of this Association and a majority of the students were not involved in the protest, Ms. Dorothy blamed false news and rumours in media and social networking sites, as the reason for the situation getting aggravated.

Though a large number of faculty, who were also former students of the university, were present at the press conference, no one was able to provide a convincing response
on the MOA, stating that it was still in the process of clarification.

The Association maintained that the institution could not be converted into a self-financing one and that the Trust managing the institution could not be bought or sold as claimed by the
protesting faculty.

Ms. Dorothy said that despite repeated statements from the UGC and Ministry of Human Resource Development and the university, the protesting faculty were unwilling to accept the fact.

Requesting the students and parents to refrain from spreading rumours, she urged them to let them allow smooth conduct of classes and examinations in time for successful completion
of their course.

The Association also appealed to parents to advice their wards to stop participating in any more protests.