Mysore/Mysuru: Seeking payment of wages and job security, Guest Lecturers under the banner of Government First Grade Colleges Guest Lecturers State Co-ordination Committee staged a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office here yesterday.

Stating that more than 14,500 Guest Lecturers are serving in over 400 Government First Grade Colleges across the State, the protesting lecturers claimed that they have not been paid wages during lockdown period and are thrown out of work. Noting that they protested on every Tuesday in July and yesterday’s protest is the first in the month of August, they claimed that no official from the Government came to hear their grievances. Accusing the authorities of ignoring them, they  urged the Government to meet their just demands of job security and payment of wages.

JD(S) MLC Marithibbegowda, who took part in yesterday’s protest, lashed out at the State Government for calling applications to Assistant Professor posts, while ignoring the demands of guest lecturers. 

Pointing out that Haryana and West Bengal Governments have provided job security for guest lecturers, he urged the Karnataka to follow the same and thus protect the interests of guest faculty. He also urged the Government to consider lockdown period as period of duty and release wages to Guest Lecturers in full.

Another JD(S) MLC K.T. Srikantegowda too visited the protest venue and expressed support for the cause of Guest Lecturers. Committee office-bearers K.Mahadevaiah, Sumitra, N. Mahesh, Nagarjun, Baburaj, Hanumantesh, Gopal and others took part in the protest.