PIL against Calcutta University’s decision to award CM with D.Litt

Kolkata: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed at the Calcutta high court against the Calcutta University (CU)’s decision to award honorary D.Litt to chief minister Mamata Banerjee this week. The PIL has been filed by Abu Taleb and Ranju Gopal Mukherjee before the division bench of acting Chief Justice Joytirmoy Bhattacharya on Monday.

According to the PIL, the decision of the syndicate and senate of the CU to confer the Trinamul Congress supremo with a D.Litt was arbitrary and lacks logic. On Tuesday the petitionners’ lawyer Shamim Ahmed “We filed the PIL to challenge the CU’s step on multiple reasons about her ineligibility. We will submit our arguments before the high court during the hearing.”

He reasoned that those who have decided to confer the honour to the chief minister are the CU senate members who are appointed by the state government which is headed by Ms Banerjee as its chief minister. The PIL has been admitted. It is expected to come up for hearing on Wednesday.

Significantly the CU will confer the honour to the chief minister the next day at Nazrul Mancha in south Kolkata. On October 25 CU vice chancellor Sonali Chakraborti announced the D.Lit to be conferred to Ms Banerjee for her contribution in the field of arts, literature and social work. The chief minister has also consented to receive the honour during the varsity’s annual convocation.