Kathmandu, October 8

Professor Mahesh Kumar Gajurel’s fast unto death has entered the 12th day but no talks have been held between the government and the agitating part-time teachers of Tribhuvan University.

Prof Gajurel had started hunger strike demanding contract basis appointment for part-time teachers working at Tribhuvan University. Co-president of Nepal part-time teachers union, Narendra Prasad Bhandari said, “The government has not even formed a dialogue committee to address our demands and is completely neglecting the protest. The government called us at the Ministry of Education today only to ask about our demands, pretending as if they don’t know anything.”

The Human Rights and Peace Society had drawn the government’s attention to the deteriorating health condition of Prof Gajurel, and urged to resolve the problem through dialogue on October 6.

Prof Gajurel has been demanding that Tribhuvan University consider the recommendations made by High level Commission on part-time teachers. As per the recommendations constituent campuses under TU require as many as1,420 contract basis teachers. There are around 2,500 part-time teachers and 7,500 professors working at Tribhuvan University and its constituent campuses.

Dr Sulav Raj Bhandari, who has been attending to examining Prof Gajurel health, said that Prof Gajurel’s body had developed multiple health complications.

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