[Assam] Sharp reaction to resignation of VC(The Sentinel, 28.09.2007)

[Buljit Buragohain]

          Postgraduate Students’ Union of Gauhati University staging a road blockade in front of GU campus on Thursday in protest against the failure on the part of the Government that led to the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Dr Amarjyoti Choudhury. (Sentinel)
       
      
    
      Sharp reaction to resignation of VC
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 27: The sudden resignation of Gauhati University (GU) Vice-Chancellor Dr Amarjyoti Choudhury has evoked sharp reactions from various organizations and the State Government today. University students and Postgraduate Students’ Union activists blocked the National Highway this morning in front of the university campus in protest against the alleged apathy on the part of the State Government towards the development of the prestigious educational institution of the State. The Guwahati Students’ Union also took to the streets to in protest against the Government’s apathy towards GU.
Dr Choudhury tendered his resignation from the post of the Vice-Chancellor of the university. He submitted the resignation letter to the Chancellor and Asom Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh yesterday alleging non-release of the required funds by the Government for the development of the university.
“I joined the post with some specific dreams, and to materialize the dreams financial assistance from the Government is a must,” said Dr Choudhury, while talking to reporters here today. “I took the job to work for the university. But if I cannot work, there is no reason to hold the post,” he added.
Dr Choudhury, who had taken the charge of Vice-Chancellor in November last, submitted a Rs 181-crore vision document to the State Government for infrastructure development and introduction of new courses in the university. According to him, he has not got any positive communication from Dispur regarding the release of any funds for development of the university.
Various students’ unions, including the AASU and the university employees’ union, appealed to Dr Choudhury to withdraw his resignation, but the he seems to be firm on his stand. 
Meanwhile, Education Minister and State Government spokesperson Ripun Bora has termed the resignation of GU Vice Chanchellor as unfortunate, and said the responsibility of the VC of an educational institute like Gauhati University is a challenging task, but by tendering his resignation the VC is trying to escape from it. The Chancellor also expressed his surprise over the sudden development, said Bora, adding that the Governor assured him of convening a meeting of the university executive council to discuss the crisis.
The Education Minister said he, during his meeting with the Governor today, has briefed the steps which the State Government took so far for the development of the university. He said since the university is an autonomous and self-financing body, the State Government has limited scope to intervene into its matters.
However, the annual grant for the university has been increased to Rs 10 crore, he said, adding that apart from this, another Rs 10 crore was sanctioned under the 12th Finance Commission. “The vision documents submitted by the VC has not been approved by the Human Resource Development Ministry which is of the view that the document is a pre-matured one,” said Bora, and added: “The State Government has recommended the proposal to the Centre to make Gauhati University a centre of excellence.”
Meanwhile, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has vehemently condemned the State Government for its alleged failure to take steps for development of the university. AASU advisor Samujjal Battacharjee, in a hurriedly-called press conference here this evening, termed the resignation of the VC as an unprecedented development in the history of the three universities in Asom. He said the resignation is the direct fallout of ‘false promises and cheating’ on the part of the Chief Minister and the Education Minister.
Terming the Chief Minister as a ‘liar’, the students leader said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his Education Minister Ripun Bora, at a function organized to mark the completion of one year of the State Government, had assured the of release Rs 25 crore each to Gauhati University, Dibrugarh University and Assam Agricultural University. The assurance was repeated during the celebrations of the Independence Day, but the promise is yet to be translated into reality, he added.
The AASU advisor vehemently criticized the, what he said, immodest comments made by the Education Minister against the VC describing his as an ‘escapist.’ The AASU appealed to Dr Choudhury to withdraw his resignation, and said the students’ committee needs his able leadership in the field of education. 
The students’ body has also appealed to the Governor for not to accept the resignation. A delegation of the AASU will meet the Governor within a day or two to discuss the crisis.

   
  (The Sentinel,28.09.2007) 



       
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