Subramanian Swamy well past age-limit to be JNU V-C: Irani

Union HRD minister Smriti Irani said that BJP leader Subramanian Swamy was past the age limit required for the post of JNU vice-chancellor.

Union HRD minister Smriti Irani said on Saturday that BJP leader Subramanian Swamy was past the age limit required for the post of JNU vice-chancellor, putting to rest a raging debate over the issue.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy during budget session of Parliament House in New Delhi. (Arvind Yadav/HT File Photo)

“I also wish to make it clear that my ministry doesn’t recommend name for the post of V-C, he is recommended by the search and select committee. In any case I think there is an age bar for the post and Swamyji has crossed the age bar,” Irani said at the Hindustan Shikhar Samagam in the state capital on Saturday.

Swamy had tweeted recently that the “media is on fire that I have been offered the JNU VC post. No formal offer nor will there be if the Govt can’t meet my pre-conditions.” The BJP leader, however, did not clear what the preconditions were.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) had threatened to “resist any attempts with all its mights” to saffronise the campus and termed the BJP leader as a “regressive figure”.

Irani also spoke about the Congress allegations about saffronisation of education and that she had visited the RSS headquarters to give a presentation on her ministry to the Sangh top brass.

“I don’t think the news about my presentation to RSS is correct. And as far as the allegation on saffronisation goes, I think such allegations would keep on coming whenever a BJP government is there,” she said.