Bengal Guv’s letter to CM, ‘tension’ remark cheap showmanship: ex-VCs’ forum

The Educationists Forum, a platform of former vice-chancellors of state universities in West Bengal, on Tuesday accused Governor C V Ananda Bose of keeping the people of the state in great uncertainty by issuing empty threats.Bose on Monday declined to divulge details of the two confidential letters he sent to the Centre and the state government two days ago and said he does not want Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to carry any stress during her official visit abroad.

The Educationists' Forum, a platform of former vice-chancellors of state universities in West Bengal, on Tuesday accused Governor C V Ananda Bose of keeping the people of the state in ''great uncertainty'' by issuing empty threats.

Bose on Monday declined to divulge details of the two ''confidential'' letters he sent to the Centre and the state government two days ago and said he does not want Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to carry any stress during her official visit abroad. She left for Dubai and Spain on Tuesday.

Forum spokesperson and former vice chancellor of North Bengal University Omprakash Mishra alleged that the governor’s comment that he would not comment on the contents of the letter as he did not want Banerjee to carry any stress during her overseas trip stemmed from Bose’s penchant ''to stage a very cheap, fallacious showmanship'' to keep the pot boiling.

''By issuing vacuous threats to keep the pot boiling, to keep the people of the state in great uncertainty, that is the gist of the so-called midnight action by the honourable governor,'' Mishra, one of the key members of the pro-Trinamool Congress organisation, told PTI.

The eminent academic, an international relations expert associated with Jadavpur University, asserted that the governor, as the chancellor of state universities, should abide by the law.

“According to the law, he has to consult Education Minister Bratya Basu before going forward with any announcement with regard to the higher education sector, universities and appointment of (officiating) vice-chancellors. He must facilitate the process of forming search committees to appoint VCs by clearing the bills,'' he said.

The TMC government and Raj Bhavan have been engaged in a war of words over the appointment of officiating vice-chancellors in state-run universities.

He said the forum, consisting of around 30 former VCs and professors of state universities, will announce its next course of action against the governor very soon.

the forum staged demonstrations near Raj Bhavan last week.