THE ISSUE of the alleged misuse of funds at the Allahabad University’s Zoology Department is refusing to die down. The failure of the varsity administration to appoint an unbiased inquiry committee to investigate the allegations is causing resentment among students and student leaders.
On Friday, pressing for their demand of a free and fair inquiry, students Anand Kumar Singh and Satya Priya Sengar continued with their indefinite hunger strike despite reported pressure from various quarters including the Registrar and the Proctor.
This afternoon, AU Registrar Prof US Rai informed the students sitting on the hunger strike a three-member inquiry committee comprising Dean (Science) Prof Hari Prakash, Prof B Rai of Mathematics Department and Prof PK Khare of Botany Department to investigate the allegations.
However, the agitating students refused to call off their hunger strike. They demanded the Dean (Arts) Prof KG Srivastava, HoD (Medieval history) Prof NR Farooqui and Prof S Tiwari to be made part of the inquiry committee in place of teachers whose names the registrar had informed about.
Raising serious objections over the inquiry panel formed by the varsity administration, students claimed that three teachers selected to inquire into the matter were close to HoD Zoology Prof Pratima Gaur and that one of them, Prof PK Khare was even a member of the purchase committee of the Zoology Department.
{{/usCountry}}Raising serious objections over the inquiry panel formed by the varsity administration, students claimed that three teachers selected to inquire into the matter were close to HoD Zoology Prof Pratima Gaur and that one of them, Prof PK Khare was even a member of the purchase committee of the Zoology Department.
{{/usCountry}}Even the Proctor Prof HN Mishra arrived at the spot of the hunger strike and tried to convince the agitating students to call off the strike but in vain.
Both students stuck to their demands of removing the head of the Zoology Department Prof Pratima Gaur from the top department post and free and fair inquiry into the allegations of misuse of funds.
At a meeting held near the hunger strike venue, student leaders expressed their anger over the failure of the AU Vice-Chancellor Prof Rajen Harshe to get the matter properly investigated and take action against the guilty if any.
The student leaders threatened to further intensify their agitation if the V-C failed to initiate a time-bound and free and fair inquiry into the matter.
Meanwhile, members of Allahabad University Union on Friday alleged the AU administration was trying to hush up the misuse of funds controversy in the AU Zoology Department.
Allahabad University office-bearers pointed out unless the HoD Zoology was relieved of charge, there could be no unbiased inquiry into the matter and decided to convene a general body meeting at the Union hall at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Presiding over the meeting was AUSU President Ajeet Kumar Yadav.