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Bengal vice-chancellors back colleague after Governor warns of removing him
The West Bengal Vice Chancellors’ Council said vice chancellor Debkumar Mukhopadhyay did not violate any rule.
The West Bengal Vice Chancellors’ Council has come out in support of vice chancellor (VC) of Panchanan Barma University in Cooch Behar, four days after Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar pulled him up for not inviting him to the institution’s annual convocation on February 14.
On February 13, Dhankhar had issued a show cause letter to vice chancellor Debkumar Mukhopadhyay after not being invited for the convocation.
Invoking his power as chancellor of all state-run universities, Dhankhar had written to Mukhopadhyay saying he would initiate the process of removing the VC from the post. Dhankhar gave Mukhopadhyay 14 days to give his reply to the show-cause letter or appear in person at Raj Bhawan at 4 pm on February 28.
Mukhopadhyay reacted, saying he did not receive any letter from the governor. He also presided over the convocation. “If I receive the letter I will do whatever is necessary,” he said.
On Monday, the West Bengal Vice Chancellors’ Council stood by Mukhopadhyay saying he did not violate any rule.
The Council, which comprises VCs of 20 state-run universities, issued a statement, saying Mukhopadhyay informed Governor House about the schedule of the convocation but received no response.
“We have been informed by the VC of Panchanan Barma University that he did not receive any response from the Raj Bhavan, which made him go ahead with the convocation programme without the presence of His Excellency,” the council said in the statement.
The statement also talked of the new rules introduced in December last year regarding inquiry, show-cause notice or penal measure against vice chancellors and pro-vice chancellors. The new rules say that all communication proposed to be sent by the Chancellor to any state-aided university has to be routed through the higher education department.
The issue first became public on the night of February 12 when Dhankhar tweeted his displeasure at not being invited to the convocation.
“Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University Convocation will be held on Feb 14. Ministers Partha Chatterjee, Goutam Deb, Rabindra Nath Ghosh and Binay Krishna Barman are invited for the Convocation. Chancellor, who has right to preside, has just no information! Where are we heading!” Dhankhar tweeted.
Shortly after Dhankhar’s tweet, education minister Partha Chatterjee said, “He (Dhankhar) should stop cribbing like this every day.” The minister, however, did not attend the convocation.
On February 13, Dhankhar shot the show-cause letter, copies of which were released to the media by Raj Bhawan. Dhankhar wrote that if Mukhopadhyay failed to explain why the chancellor was not informed about the convocation he would initiate the process of removing the VC under provisions of clauses (d) and (h) of sub-section 7 of section 9 of the Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University Act.
The education minister could not be contacted on Tuesday despite several efforts.
