लखनऊ : मैं लगभग सवा साल से लखनऊ में नालंदा नामक एक एन.जी.ओ. में काम कर रहा था, जो प्राथमिक शिक्षा में सुधार के लिय काम करता है. इस एन.जी.ओ. में आर्थिक और प्रशासनिक स्तर पर कई तरह की गड़बड़ियां चल रही थीं, जिनके बारे में हम तीन मित्रों ने मिलकर संस्था के प्रेसीडेंट बिश्वजीत सेन को मेल करके बताया था. हमें नहीं पता था कि इतनी-सी बात के लिये हमें अचानक ही नौकरी से हटा दिया जाएगा. बिना किसी आधार के मुझे अचानक 12 जून को नौकरी से हटा दिया गया. टर्मिनेशन लेटर में लिखा गया कि मेरा परफ़ार्मेंस ठीक नहीं था.
नालंदा प्रबंधन की करतूतों पर प्रकाशित समाचार
इसके बाद 27 जून को इससे संबंधित दो और लोगों देवीश्री राहा, प्रदीप तिवारी को भी ज़बर्दस्ती इस्तीफ़ा लिखवाकर हटा दिया गया, जो कि एक तरह से टर्मिनेशन है. इस संदर्भ में तीन महत्वपूर्ण पत्र मैंने संस्था के प्रेसीडेंट बिश्वजीत सेन को लिखे थे. हमें हटाने का एकमात्र कारण यह है कि हमने कुछ गड़बड़ियों पर सवाल उठाया था और जिनके प्रमाण बिश्वजीत सेन को भेजे गये हमारे पत्रों में हैं. इसीलिये सभी नियमों को ताक पर रखकर हमें आनन-फ़ानन में हटा दिया गया.
मज़े की बात यह रही कि इस संस्था के एच.आर. मैनुअल में लिखा है कि टर्मिनेशन का अधिकार केवल प्रेसीडेंट को है, जबकि मेरे टर्मिनेशन लेटर पर कार्यकारी निदेशक प्रभात झा का हस्ताक्षर है. इसके अलावा मुझे हटाने का मुख्य आधार परफ़ार्मेंस को बनाया गया है जिसके अप्रेज़ल की कभी कोई ज़रूरत महसूस नहीं की गई और न इस संदर्भ में मुझे कोई नोटिस कभी मिला. मेरे टर्मिनेशन के बाद एक जांच कमिटी बनाने का नाटक किया गया था जिसमें एक बोर्ड मेम्बर मिथिलेश झा को रखा गया था. मनमानी जांच रिपोर्ट आज तक किसी को देखने को नहीं मिली है। इसको तैयार करने के एवज़ में इनाम के तौर पर मिथिलेश झा को अब नालंदा में ही पदस्थापित किया गया है.
अब मुझे समझ नहीं आ रहा है कि क्या करुं? मेरी दो बेटियां हैं (कक्षा दो और नर्सरी में) जिनका एडमिशन यहीं लखनऊ में करवा रखा है. मेरे पास बिलकुल ही जमा पैसे नहीं हैं, न घर से कुछ सहारा मिल सकने की हालत है. मेरी नौकरी यहां जून, 2018 तक थी जबकि अचानक हटा दिया गया है. अब अचानक से मुझे नौकरी कहां और कैसे मिल जाएगी? और क्या इस देश में मेरे कोई नागरिक अधिकार नहीं हैं? मैं क्या करुं.
इस प्रसंग में निम्नलिखित अन्यायपूर्ण बातें प्रमुखता से उभर कर आती हैं-
1. विपिन कुमार शर्मा को किस आधार पर टर्मिनेट किया गया? पर्फ़ार्मेंस के आधार पर एक तो तत्काल हटाने का कोई प्रावधान ही नहीं है और दूसरे कि उसके लिये अप्रेज़ल और इंडिकेटर कहां हैं?
2. नालंदा के एच.आर.डी. मैनुअल के अनुसार कार्यकारी निदेशक को किसी स्टाफ़ को टर्मिनेट करने का अधिकार ही नहीं है, फ़िर कार्यकारी निदेशक द्वारा विपिन शर्मा को कैसे टर्मिनेट किया गया है? यह तो धोखाधड़ी का मामला बनता है.
3. बिश्वजीत सेन ने जो जांच कमिटी बनाई थी, उसकी रिपोर्ट कहां है और उस रिपोर्ट की विश्वसनीयता का आधार क्या है? उसके बाद बिश्वजीत सेन ने 27 जून को सभी स्टाफ़ को धमकाया कि संस्था बंद की जा रही है, सभी से इस्तीफ़ा लिखवाने का ड्रामा किया और दो लोगों का इस्तीफ़ा स्वीकार कर लिया गया. क्या यह इस्तीफ़ा टर्मिनेशन नहीं है? दूसरी बात, उन्हीं तीन लोगों को निशाना बनाया गया जिन्होंने कुछ आर्थिक और प्रशासनिक गड़बड़ियों के खिलाफ़ शिकायत लिखकर भेजी थी.
4. जांच कमिटी के मेम्बर मिथिलेश झा को नालंदा में नौकरी का पुरस्कार क्यों दिया गया? इसलिये कि वे मनमानी में सहयोग कर रहे हैं?
5. जिसके खिलाफ़ शिकायत थी, उसे न हटाकर शिकायत करने वालों पर कार्रवाई क्यों की गई?
बाकी बातें क्या-क्या हैं, इसे सही तरह से बताने के लिये दो मीडिया क्लिप उन दिनों ही आये थे और जिससे ये लोग बहुत घबरा गए थे.
मसले पर पत्रचार
Dear Sir
For some last few days the way things have shaped up and got culminated into getting served with a ‘Termination Letter’ exemplify nothing but stark injustice to me. For almost last two months (since Board Meeting/Retreat in Jaipur) I have been suffering from acute mental trauma resulted from the incidence taken place in hotel room in Jaipur when Prabhat Jha came to my room (the day you carried out an open meeting with us) and in inebriated condition asked me to leave the organization; Mr Pradeep Tiwari and Devisree Raha were also present in the room. In different ways pressure has been put on three of us (me, Pradeep and Devisree) in wrong way and continuously we are being harassed. In the last closed door meeting (11/6/15) he even blamed me in front of everyone that I want to beat him down and harm him physically. Following such event I cannot even express you what kind of mental trauma I have been going through. Ms Devisree Raha stays in Lucknow alone and Mr Prabhat Jha’s such violent disposition as has been revealed has put her into alarming mental state to the extent that she is contemplating lodging an FIR against Mr Jha to preempt any untoward incident/harm put on her.
I do seek an IMMEDIATE REPLY of yours on this.
Coincidentally in this wee comes birthdays of my two daughters (13th and 17th June’15). Today is my elder daughter’s birthday and it’s such a pleasant gift you have given to my daughters and should I say thanks on their behalf to you? It has been very DISAPPOINTING how you told me (over the phone) to wait for two months as Enquiry Commission would be employed to enquire into it and report would be there; henceforth decision can be made on my expulsion. Through last 3-4 mail/correspondence you were informed about the on-goings/developments here and you, quite surprisingly, abstained from taking any concrete step or intervening into the matter. I am compelled to ask you why you didn’t take any effort to intervene / enquire into the allegation that we were bringing. Should I then deduce that such step of my Termination was taken in CONSULTATION with you? I was interviewed by you; salary increment, appraisal, appointment all happens following your behest and how does it make sense that Termination/ expulsion could happen without your consent?
You told me that I should wait and sit in my home till enquiry committee report is there; let me ask you why can’t I wait being in office itself (that is, continuing as employee of Nalanda)? If enquiry report has to be taken into consideration for taking final stance on my termination then why can’t I continue to work and wait for the report to come since you yourself mentioned that causes/allegation such as ‘underperformance’, ‘inability to work’ are subject to enquiry. Further, not a single evidence / comment / feedback is there from my supervisor on the quality of my work which proves that my performance is not ‘up-to the mark’ as the Termination cause is stipulated in the letter. My inter-personal relationship with my colleague has never been questioned so far and again, there is no feedback/comment etc on this from either my supervisor or my colleagues. It’s ironical that I , who is so unable to work in team, perturbed ED so much that he had to ask my other collegues (other than ofcourse Pradeep and Devisree ji) not to ‘mingle’ ‘talk ‘eat’ with me. Isn’t it bit contradictory?? In this way then you can engaze anyone to put blame on anybody and let me mention here some very objectionable/derogatory remark was passed against Devisree ji during Board meeting by Mr Sanjeev Srivastava and to this Mr Sanjib Tiwari (Ranchi Head) protested too; despite telling this to Prabhat Jha he dint take any initiative. Why was not ASH Committee then summoned? For that matter for last one and half year no ASH Committee meeting has taken place and does it exist beyong pen and paper? Let me/ Devisree ji ask Nishi Malhotra then all these since Mr Prabhat Jha was threatening me in front of all to rope in Nishi Malhotra (ASH Committee member).
It’s hard to believe that you don’t have any cognition or understanding of the way things are being manipulated and it’s evident that you are also helping the organization move towards a very unfortunate/ sham state. How come Prabhat Jha is being exempted from all allegations and I have been ousted? It’s then obvious that corruption is promoted by you and you are victimizing me and Devisree, Pradeep ji who are speaking truth and good performer with good academic and professional background. Have you ever considered that not only PhD from JNU but I have my credential as a noted Hindi author too. Devisree being a TISS Grduate and being a student of Hardy, Prof. Sarangpani and eminent people of this country and having worked with noted people like Prof Jalaluddin and Rohit Dhankar, all noted organizations have far good credential too. Hence, we are certain you don’t want efficient performers. Pradeep Tiwari has been the face of the organization to all other organizations that Nalanda has being doing consultancy with; further he had very good network in Ajim Premji Foundation. (I took their names because they would also be victimized like me ). And how about the credential of ED? If non-performance is issue of my termination then let there be termination of ED Mr Prabhat Jha too and then enquiry committee should decide who is non-performer. I joined Nalanda as Education Specialist but I actually was serving the role of ED’s steno where I had to write His mail and also speech that he was required to make. Hope you would like to have a review of ED’s performance too who carries on his personal consultancy using office resource, staff members. I had mailed you that I have been barred to attend creative writing workshop by ED himself where I have technical grip on the matter and have done same kind of work beforehand too. It gives credence to the fact that planning was being made to prove me ‘under performer’ since then itself.
I do sincerely urge you to be part of enquiry committee as otherwise things don’t justify itself.
I wonder if you have ever considered what kind of mental agony/trauma you have caused me by this termination since I have a family, two daughters to look after.
I have lost my faith in enquiry committee thing since I am pretty sure it would be another farce where I would be made victim in further ‘official’ way; if you are endorsing Mr Prabhat Jha despite all such serious allegation then how can I still count on the enquiry committee that would be engazed at your behest? Further, Mr Prabhat Jha, being in such significant position, can distort fact as he wishes and manipulate staff members, and he should be suspended/terminated too till enquiry happens.
If such example is being set by the organization that corrupt and inept would prevail and the one with scruple would be sacked then you should rewrite the constitution of Nalanda which boasts of ‘democracy’, ‘transparency’, accountability /justice to underprivileged population.
You had clearly stated during Retreat in Jaipur that Nalanda is not anyone’s personal ‘paternal property’ and hence it’s expected that all staff members should contribute to the well being of the organization. You had also sent in your first reply (one and only reply) to Devisree ji that you are concerned over the developments. Nalanda’s past history has it that persons like Mr Kamlesh Joshi, Mr Khajan Singh also made lot of complaint agaist Prabhat Jha and result is that they had to leave orginazation and Mr Prabhat Jha continued as ED and now, FYI, they are well placed in esteemed organizations like Ajim Premji Foundation.
If you don’t intend to do any enquiry of the allegations that we brought in against ED Mr Prabhat Jha (cognized you through mail correspondence) and rather want to sack me from the organization then I would like to have it from you in WRITTEN. And if you do not respond to my mail then not only media or administration rather I would take resort to all possible platforms to voice my views and experience on this as not only you but SDTT also is entitled to take accountability of the heinous things being taken place here and the mental agony you are incurring on me, Pradeep and Devisree ji.
You had promised to come mid-June; please let me know when you are arriving.
I am copying the mail to Hardy Sir as well since he is one of the respected Board members and also an eminent educationist of this country acting as vanguard to spell reform and change in the education sector.
All the correspondence and discussion that have been made intend nothing but securing goal organization strives to achieve leading to societal good.
I am more than eager to cooperate with you and would again entreat you to give a written reply at earliest as I am passing through acute mental agony.
Regards, Bipin
devisree raha
Jul 2 (12 days ago)
to Biswajit, Probir, me
Dear Sir
This correspondence refers to the Termination of us (Devisree Raha, Pradeep Tiwari) on 27th of June’015 when you had arrived in Nalanda ostensibly to sort out major discrepancies that have emerged in the organization lately such as termination of Bipin Sharma followed by some very unfortunate incidence of intimidation, anomalies perpetrated by then (and present ???) ED Mr Prabhat Jha in presence and cognizance of you and Mr Probir Bose(Reference – mail trail from May 13 onward).
In all our correspondence (May 13, May 19, June 10, June 13, June 14 2015) we stipulated clearly how gross mishandling of fund is being taken place at the expense of programmatic achievement including that of unscrupulous recruitment, stark misuse of travel fund/office vehicle/office staff members, major discrepancy in budgeting/approval being made/advance payment and so on. Field impact is not discernible at all and supervisors have expressed their discontentment over the things continuously. We were continuously conversing with you in the hope that things would work towards betterment and were completely transparent as we tried to raise relevant issues in retreat too followed by continuous conversation. We tried to raise things during RPM of May’15 too with Prabhat Jha after which we got warning too (mailed you explaining everything). It’s quite obvious that you have proved it’s true that retrenchment, expulsion of any employee is subject to Management’s whim and fancy that Mr Prabhat Jha had ‘warned’ us about that we had mailed you on May 13 giving all detail (in response to which you had expressed your concern).
By expelling us unfairly you have established it true that Nalanda indeed nurtures a culture of intimidation where raising any valid question regarding organization efficacy means to get warning and getting expelled/terminated that I had mentioned in my mail correspondence dated June 13 2015 (copied to Mr Hardy Dewan as well)
While we had thought you would sort things out for better and had extended full cooperation towards so-called ‘independent enquiry committee’ (interestingly in the notice/circulation it was only mentioned that a ‘meeting’ would take place with all staff members on 24th and 25th of June’15 but no mention was made with whom the meeting would take place; neither Mithilesh Jha nor Nishi Merhotra’s names were there in the notice). What was so hush-hush about it?
Now, on 27th June’15 in Nalanda office you staged a startling drama when you expressed your anger over on-goings here which you called ‘office politics is in Nalanda going on’ and with your expletives you commanded a mass resignation by all employee and announced that you would be in-charge from that time onward and Nalanda would be closed down till audit process is being taken place from Mr Goyel and Tata Trust too. You said clearly that all members should submit resignation at once and Nalanda would be closed down from that Monday (29th June’15) onward. Following your commandeering pressure every sitting member in Lucknow office that day was forced to submit resignation. Later on you carried out a one-on-one meeting with all staff members and verbally announced your verdict whether s/he can continue or not. Except for Pradeep and me (Devisree) all were told that they can continue and we two were told NOT to continue and no valid reason was given. We definitely cannot count on any reporting of the ‘independent committee’ as valid and reliable or authentic as neither any signed verbatim testimonial was taken down or kept nor was it videographed. On what basis then we can rely on the authenticity of the entire process of the independent committee. Provide us with the reason for our termination on your behalf. Further, you had mentioned that you are going to close down Nalanda for good or at least till SDTT audit takes place. Nalanda is going on in full fledged. It surely makes it obvious that this was a lie to intimidate and compel us to write the resignation letter.
As was conjectured by us and later on questioned by media too it’s quite obvious that it was another ploy to validate termination of all three starting with Bipin Kumar Sharma followed by Devisree Raha and Pradeep Tiwari. All our mail correspondence with you, media report corroborates this further. It’s quite surprising that while we continuously raised valid concern on the several malpractices in the organization, without any proper base/reason we were thrown out of the organization and all the more Mr Prabhat Jha who was rumored to have resigned submitted his resignation again on 27th of June’15. What’s the farce going on Sir? Further, Mr Mithilesh Jha (also Board member of Nalanda for years) has been appointed now in Nalanda who was one of the ‘independent committee members’; now, isn’t it quite starkly clear that every move is part of the carefully constructed game where those who are raising valid points are being punished, pushed out and a cronyism and status quo is being perpetuated at your behest to serve some vested interest of yours and those involved?
Let’s reinforce that following so much crucial and positive contribution to the organization in our tenure in Nalanda we are meted with such humiliation, disgrace and stripping us of our livelihood. We always wanted to cooperate with what would serve organization best but it’s unfortunate the way things are being dealt with here. This arbitrary termination has not only ushered in severe mental trauma for us but also has put our livelihood in severe distress. Bipin Sharma’s whole family life has been disturbed; now he is compelled to continue his children’s study in Lucknow for whole one year (I had already pleaded with you explaining all these in my correspondence with you on June 13’2015 requesting annulment of his termination). I (Devisree) had my own plans and the job stability till 2018 was ofcourse a matter of great financial security as my family has acute financial responsibility to look after.
Given all these facts and the termination of all three members is arbitrary and intentional, we hereby demand annulment of termination and we three would like to continue in our job in Nalanda in our respective role as it’s quite difficult, as a person of your experience knows very well, to find a job right away in this sector, Or we are given fair compensation. The contract is till 2018 and neither contract letter nor HR manual supports such arbitrary termination.
Given the abysmal state we are in we would urge you to settle the matter following a discussion with us as soon as possible as we would otherwise would have to resort to knocking the door of labour court and public movement.
Would look forward to an urgent action on this.
Regards, Devisree, Bipin
बिपिन शर्मा से संपर्क : 7619014236, [email protected]
