Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday demanded immediate dismissal of Rajneesh Arora, vice-chancellor of Punjab Technical University (PTU), and sought an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana high court into the alleged large-scale bungling of funds to benefit Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and BJP leaders of Punjab.
He also demanded a fair and transparent review of the extension granted to the V-C.
Bajwa, in a communication to governor Shivraj Patil, said the PTU was suffering from rampant corruption, which was unprecedented in any university of the country. He said in the light of directions given by the high court on July 8 for re-examination of the V-C's extension by the Board of Governors, it had become necessary to look at the issue from the administrative angle.
Bajwa said the vice-chancellor had indulged in siphoning off of funds through benami companies and favouring relatives of RSS and BJP leaders in appointments. He said BJP leaders of the state were patronising Arora, an RSS-cadre man.
He added, "It is highly disgraceful that the chief minister was a mute spectator to the misdeeds of his political allies in the government. Arora violated all norms to extend financial benefits to his mentors in the BJP and in the past one year, Rs 25 crore were paid through seven benami companies."
Bajwa informed the governor that BJP MP and former union human resource minister Murli Manohar Joshi had also forwarded to him a complaint of corruption charges against the V-C and sought an inquiry into the allegations against the vice-chancellor.
{{/usCountry}}Bajwa informed the governor that BJP MP and former union human resource minister Murli Manohar Joshi had also forwarded to him a complaint of corruption charges against the V-C and sought an inquiry into the allegations against the vice-chancellor.
{{/usCountry}}In his letter, Bajwa wrote that Arora was so busy in malpractices that he had no time to look into general administration, adding that admissions to the PTU were banned by the Delhi high court due to fleecing of students. He said the future of 50,000 students of the distance learning programme, mostly from weaker sections and rural areas, was at stake.