Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A fresh controversy has erupted at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), with employees and officers of the university’s establishment department launching a rare and united counterattack against office-bearers of the non-teaching employees’ union.
In a strongly worded memorandum submitted to Vice Chancellor Prof Rakesh Singhai, department staff accused the union office-bearers of repeatedly making “baseless and demoralising” allegations against the department.
The memorandum, signed by several employees and officers including Deputy Registrar (Establishment) Rachna Thakur, claims that despite severe staff shortages, the establishment department has been handling a heavy workload efficiently.
Officials pointed out that many employees are routinely assigned additional responsibilities such as election duties and census-related work, yet departmental tasks are completed on time and cases are processed as per rules.
The department has taken particular exception to allegations made by union leaders that files and administrative matters are being deliberately kept pending. According to the memorandum, audit objections or procedural compliances in certain cases cannot be interpreted as administrative delays.
The signatories insist that no matter is intentionally held up and that all cases are dealt with in accordance with established regulations.
What has further aggravated tensions is the claim that the union leadership has been publicly targeting the department during official programmes and meetings, even in the presence of senior university authorities. The memorandum alleges that repeated public criticism has damaged employee morale and created an atmosphere of mistrust within the institution.
Calling the accusations “false, discouraging and condemnable,” the employees have urged the VC to intervene and direct union office-bearers to refrain from making what it describes as misleading statements in the future.
The development exposes growing friction between DAVV’s administrative machinery and employee representatives. With both sides now openly at odds, the dispute threatens to deepen divisions within the university unless the administration steps in to broker a resolution.
