Visva Bharati faculty writes to PM Modi, seeks probe against vice chancellor

The Central University has temporarily suspended the admission process and publication of results, confirming that the VC is “under siege” due to the ongoing agitation by a section of students.

A group of faculty members of Visva Bharati University in West Bengal have written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a probe against the vice chancellor by a serving or retired judge.

Student unions stage a protest march against the expulsion of three students of the Visva Bharati University in Bolpur earlier this week. (ANI PHOTO.)

The university rusticated three students for three years on August 23 for taking part in a campus protest in January this year. Since then, the university’s vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty has been confined to his on-campus residence by a section of students. The impasse continued till Thursday.

“We demand an investigation into the complaints against Chakraborty by an independent committee headed by a serving or retired judge of a high court,” stated the letter sent by the Visva Bharati University Faculty Association which represents a majority of the faculty departments.

VB is the state’s only Central University and was set up by Rabindranath Tagore at Santiniketan in Birbhum district in 1921. The Prime Minister is its chancellor.

While Chakraborty refused to comment saying that the university’s spokesperson would respond to media queries, the latter didn’t respond to calls or messages.

The university authorities had on Wednesday moved the Calcutta high court seeking intervention in clearing the impasse created by the students’ agitation against expulsion of students on disciplinary grounds. The petition is likely to be heard on Friday.

The Central University has temporarily suspended the admission process and publication of results, confirming that the VC is “under siege” due to the ongoing agitation by a section of students.

“We earnestly request the Honourable Chancellor (read the Prime Minister) to take appropriate action to save this august institution from further degeneration … We sincerely hope that Your Honour will take appropriate action quickly to defuse the crisis,” the letter stated adding that it was leading VB into an existential crisis.

PM Modi had virtually addressed the centenary celebrations of the university in December 2020.