DU: Governing body of Kalindi College decides against giving extension to officiating principal

NEW DELHI: The governing body of Kalindi College decided on Saturday not to give an extension to officiating principal Naina Hasija and resolved to initiate a judicial enquiry to probe an allegation of financial irregularities against her and other administrative staff.

However, Hasija, who is also the secretary of the college's governing body, was not present during its meeting. She termed the meeting a "sham". According to the minutes of the meeting, nine of the 15 governing body members attended it, including two who participated in it online. Associate Professor Aparajita Gaur was "appointed" as the secretary in the absence of the principal. "We called a governing body meeting to discuss the extension of Naina Hasija as the principal of the college. However, the members of the governing body have decided not to give her an extension and initiate a judicial enquiry against her," said Ravi Gupta, the chairman of the governing body. "Nine members attended the meeting. All of them agreed that an extension should not be given to the principal. It was a unanimous decision," Gupta added.

After the meeting, the members of the governing body alleged that the principal locked them up for several hours in the building. However, Hasija denied the allegation and accused the governing body members of attacking the non-teaching staff. "The governing body has resolved that no extension be given to Prof. Naina Hasija, as Acting/Officiating Principal. Nine members attended the meeting forthwith," read the minutes of the meeting. Hasijia took over as the officiating principal of the college in March 2021.

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The governing body authorised its chairman to start the process of appointing an officiating principal of the college in accordance with the Delhi University (DU) norms. Taking into account a complaint received by DU's Academic Council member Naveen Gaur, the governing body resolved to initiate an enquiry on all the issues involving alleged administrative and financial irregularities. "To conduct an enquiry in a fair and disciplined manner, a one-man judicial enquiry headed by a retired judicial officer to be formed," read the minutes of the meeting. The principal termed the meeting a "sham" and questioned its validity. "It was not a meeting. There are 15 members in the governing body. Only nine of them attended and merely five signed on the minutes. How is it a genuine governing body meeting?" she asked. "They (the governing body members) created a ruckus in the college and Gupta tried to run his SUV over a non-teaching staff," Hasija alleged.