West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar has announced the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor for Rabindra Bharati University (RBU), even as several legislation replacing him as Chancellor of State-run universities is awaiting his consent.
The West Bengal Legislative Assembly earlier this month passed several legislation replacing the Governor with the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of universities. The development has triggered a fresh controversy in the State amidst strained relations between Raj Bhavan and the State government.
“WB Guv Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar as Chancellor has appointed Dr. Mahua Mukherjee, Professor, Dept. of Dance, Rabindra Bharati University, as Vice Chancellor Rabindra Bharati University in terms of section 9(1)(b) of the Rabindra Bharati Act, 1981,” Mr. Dhankhar tweeted on Thursday.
The Governor is the present Chancellor of the State-run universities and the term of current RBU Vice-Chancellor Sabyasachi Basu Roy Choudhury is set to be over soon.
The Governor also attached with his tweet the recommendations of the Search Committee which in its meeting on June 9 suggested three names, the first being that of Ms. Mukherjee.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that the Governor announced the new RBU Vice-Chancellor without taking into confidence the State’s Education Minister and the Chief Minister.
Mr. Ghosh also pointed out that the Governor’s announcement came at a time when his consent was awaited for the bills passed by the Assembly replacing him as the Chancellor of the State universities. The Governor has said that he will examine the bills legally and as per provisions laid in the Constitution.
