DU Asst. Professor Claims He Was Terminated for Voicing Criticism Against PM Beyond Campus Walls

New Delhi- When Dr. Laxman Yadav, Assistant Professor at Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, shared his termination letter on social media, expressing his dismay, public outrage ensued against the DU administration. Dr. Laxman, who had served at the university for 14 years, received his termination letter on Wednesday afternoon, without any specified reason.

In the formal letter issued by College Principal Prof. Narendra Singh, it was stated that the services of all ad-hoc Assistant Professors in the Department of Hindi and Philosophy would be terminated from December 6, 2023, and Dr. Laxman Yadav's name was listed among them.

Yadav, visibly disheartened, lamented the loss of his job on the day of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar's death anniversary, in a video released on social media. Another professor has already been appointed to fill his position.

In his video statement, Dr. Laxman asserted that attempts are being made to suppress those who seek education and speak the truth. He claimed that his termination was a consequence of consistently speaking the truth. Reflecting on his journey, he shared with The Mooknayak, "On September 1, 2010, I began my tenure as an assistant professor in the Hindi department at Zakir Hussain College, affiliated with Delhi University. It was a dream come true for me."

Dr Laxman shared with The Mooknayak, "This journey has been very long. I used to work as a cow-buffalo herder in a small village in Azamgarh. I never had any idea that I would reach this destination. My parents and family have played an important role in this. Everyone in the family made sacrifices for my education. They dreamed for me and understood the importance of pen and book, sending me to study at Allahabad University. We come from the same family whose shoes used to be torn, and whose house had no paint because a member of their family had gone out to study."

"The fees at Allahabad University used to be Rs 300. I studied hard and achieved results, topping in Allahabad University. During BA and MA, I learned a lot from my gurus and colleagues. This learning has shaped us." The professor further explains, "When I went to Delhi after leaving Allahabad University, I had the dream of becoming an IAS. In the competitive examination, I passed the NET-JRF exam. People in the village and the country thought that because Allahabad University was top-ranked, I would become an IAS officer."

The asst. professor recounts, "I came to Delhi with the dream of becoming an IAS. The economic situation was not strong, and family members expressed concerns about the challenges of sustaining a long-term stay in Delhi for studies. Despite this, I enrolled in a PhD program in Delhi with a fellowship. During this period, I, along with friends, visited Lakshmibai College for the first time. Unfortunately, the atmosphere there led to a swift rejection in a two-minute interview, with the reason cited being that I am an amateur. Undeterred, we then went to Zakir Hussain College for another interview on August 31, 2010. Determined not to let the opportunity slip away, I went with my friends, and in this interview, I was selected among dozens of candidates. At that time, I was just 21 years old."

Addressing the reason behind his termination, Dr. Laxman mentioned receiving a show cause notice for expressing criticism against the Prime Minister outside the university. Despite knowing the potential consequences, he asserted, "People can take away my job, but I will always be a professor in people's eyes."