Alipurduar University's newly appointed interim VC faces TMCP protest

KOLKATA: Newly appointed interim vice-chancellor of Alipurduar University, Rathin Bandyopadhyay, faced protests by Trinamool Congress' students wing at his office on the first day of joining on Tuesday. High drama was witnessed as Bandyopadhyay, escorted by some university staffers, took his chair amid sloganeering by Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad members who were protesting his appointment.

Even as the interim VC tried to reason with the protesters asking them to introduce themselves, the agitators raised slogans such as "down with the governor", "no bypassing the state government," and "we want end to the impasse in universities". The TMC government and Governor CV Ananda Bose have locked horns over the appointment of interim vice-chancellors in state-run universities, with the ruling dispensation accusing the Raj Bhavan occupant of appointing interim VCs by bypassing the state administration.

TMCP Alipurduar district president Samir Ghosh, who was present at the spot, said that the protesters did not have anything personal against Bandyopadhyay but they will not accept him as he has been handpicked by the governor without consulting the higher education department and the education minister. Ghosh claimed that the TMCP has the support of the non-teaching staff and will continue to oppose the interim VC.

An unfazed Bandyopadhyay, however, said, "I have been appointed by the chancellor, so my mission will be to steer the university smoothly during this transition period. My job will be to take every stakeholder on board in this journey." He refused to comment on the agitation or "any political controversy". The relations between Raj Bhavan and the West Bengal government nosedived when the governor started appointing interim VCs of 11 state-universities after the term of full-time VCs of 31 universities expired in April-May this year.

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As the state government accused Bose of bypassing it by taking the decision, Raj Bhavan maintained that every step was taken as per the law in the interest of students to ensure there was no deadlock in the functioning of the universities. The Supreme Court had on Friday stayed the emoluments of the newly appointed interim VCs and asked Bose to sit with chief minister Mamata Banerjee "over a cup of coffee" to resolve the deadlock over the appointment of VCs. The apex court was hearing an appeal of the West Bengal government against the June 28 order of the Calcutta High Court which stated there was no illegality in the orders issued by the Governor appointing interim VCs in 11 state-run universities.