Visvabharati University staff play with colours at Santiniketan, in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, after President Pranab Mukherjee approved on Monday the sacking of the university’s vice-chancellor, Sushanta Dattagupta. — PTI
Visvabharati University staff play with colours at Santiniketan, in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, after President Pranab Mukherjee approved on Monday the sacking of the university’s vice-chancellor, Sushanta Dattagupta. — PTI
President Pranab Mukherjee has approved the dismissal of Visvabharati vice-chancellor Sushanta Dattagupta, the first instance of sacking of the VC of a Central university, the Union human resources development ministry said.
“The President, who is the Visitor of Central universities, has approved the dismissal of Visvabharati VC Dattagupta, as proposed by the ministry,” a spokesperson for the ministry said. The move comes after months of uncertainty over the issue.
The HRD ministry had earlier this month sent the file to the President recommending the dismissal of Mr Dattagupta after the Union law and justice ministry and the attorney-general approved the procedures followed by it on the matter. Mr Dattagupta was facing allegations of financial and administrative irregularities.
The President’s office had earlier raised certain queries after which the ministry had sought the opinion of the law ministry.
Mr Mukherjee had twice earlier returned the file relating to Mr Dattagupta to the HRD Ministry, asking whether denying the VC a “hearing in person” on the allegations levelled against him was legally tenable, triggering speculation that both were not on the same page on the matter.
However, after the law ministry backed the HRD’s view, the file was again sent to the President, paving the way for the VC’s dismissal.
Amidst reports that Rashtrapati Bhavan and the ministry had divergent views on the issue, HRD minister Smriti Irani had met the President recently.
Allegations against Mr Dattagupta included drawing salary from Visvabharati and pension from Jawaharlal Nehru University simultaneously in alleged violation of the law. As per norms, he was required to have got his pension amount deducted from the pay he received from Visvabharati.
Mr Dattagupta was also charged with making irregular appointments, including that of the controller of examinations, despite having no powers, and sanctioning key posts in violation of the Visvabharati Act.
Dattagupta, who was appointed in 2011, had over six months of his tenure left. Earlier he had challenged the legality of the Ministry’s fact-finding committee but his petition was dismissed by the Calcutta High Court. Dattagupta had reportedly emailed his resignation to the President, which the HRD ministry was unwilling to accept.
