Partha prods governor on VC choice

KOLKATA: Education minister Partha Chatterjee called on governor Keshari Nath Tripathi (the JU chancellor) on Sunday, in a last-ditch attempt to nudge him towards Abhijit Chakraborti — the state government’s choice — while appointing the full-time VC.
This was Chatterjee’s second visit to the Raj Bhavan in the last three days and came after Saturday’s “apolitical” street protest by a sea of students, calling for Chakraborti’s removal.
Chatterjee visited Raj Bhavan after a hour-long visit to the alleged molest victim’s house, promising her father “all necessary action”, his first attempt to reach out.
Sources said the governor has the sole say in appointing the vice-chancellor. But Raj Bhavan has been non-committal, which is adding to the government’s anxiety.
Chatterjee had earlier dismissed any possibility of state government intervention in the crisis, prompting the victim’s father to appeal to chief minister Mamata Banerjee to step in. Chatterjee had also claimed that the students wanted to divert the focus from the initial molestation charge. After that, the father had expressed fear that their complaint was being buried. To make amends, Chatterjee rushed to the victim’s home on Sunday afternoon and spoke to her and her parents.
“The minister assured us all possible action. I do hope he keeps his word,” the victim’s father said on Sunday.
Chatterjee’s visit — 20 days after VC Chakraborti was informed of it and an FIR lodged — raised a few eyebrows, when he chose to take Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) state president Shankudeb Panda with him. Panda will lead a Trinamool protest on Monday to counter the “spontaneous outpouring” of Saturday.
Amal Mukhopadhyay, former principal of Presidency College, said: “Besides making a delayed visit, the education minister has sent a wrong signal by taking along Panda. He should have used the opportunity to resolve the impasse by taking along some of the demonstrating students.”
Chatterjee’s next stop was Raj Bhavan. According to sources, the government is anxious that the recent developments culminating in Saturday’s protest may have a bearing when the governor chooses the next VC. Chakraborti heads the panel followed by Anupam Basu. Sujoy Kumar Saha is the third candidate in the list. Given the university appointment rules amended by the Mamata government, the governor enjoys unfettered powers to choose the VC from the panel of three names screened by the selection committee. The “consultation with the state government” clause is absent.
Sources said the governor hasn’t given any impression to the state government that he has made up his mind. However, the sensitivity with which he has dealt with the student demonstrators and his sharp eye to all developments has triggered a sense of unease in the government. The present panel, sources said, can’t be cancelled and if Chakraborti is ignored, it has to be Basu. Or else, the matter will become legally ambiguous.