Patiala varsity issues order barring staff from sharing info

PATIALA: The Punjabi University here has passed a gag order, prohibiting its employees from sharing any information with media and on social media platforms, even anonymously.
While the teachers’ union of the varsity has called the move unconstitutional and undemocratic, university vice-chancellor Prof Arvind has said the order was only in context to personal remarks and not official information.A copy of the order, issued by the university registrar on Thursday, has been sent to all heads of teaching and non-teaching staff, neighbourhood campuses, constituent colleges, centres, and security officers. “If any of the employees working under them (heads) comment or share through social media, electronic media, press or any radio broadcast, or spread the information related with a person or department or the institution, that may affect or harm the university repute or amounts to hurt (sic) someone’s dignity, such employees may face action,” reads the circular.
The order stated that for any such indiscipline, action will be taken against employees under Articles 309 and 318 of the Constitution that mandates “no government employee shall in any radio or electronic media or in any document published in his own name or anonymously, pseudonymously or in the name of other person or in communication to the press or in any public utterance make any statement of fact or opinion”.
The Punjabi University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) has condemned the orders and termed it as an attack on the freedom of speech and expression. PUTA also declared this ‘order’ as unconstitutional and said it would file a complaint with Punjab CM and education minister. PUTA secretary Maninder Kamboj said the university’s order was unconstitutional and a direct attack on freedom of speech. “When we have the liberty to contest assembly or parliamentary elections while being in service, how can the university stop us from speaking and expressing? We would file a complaint with the CM and education minister against this,” Kamboj said
Vice-chancellor Prof Arvind, when asked about the order being undemocratic, said it had been pssed for certain reasons, as people had been fighting and levelling allegations on individuals. “Our idea is simple, anything which is derogatory to an individual or university should be avoided.,” he said.