Prez skips Hyd convocation, following intel inputs on VC

A last minute Intelligence Bureau input has forced the President Pranab Mukherjee to cancel his convocational address on Monday at the National Urdu University in Hyderabad.

President’s convocational address and his trip to Hyderabad were announced on December 21 in advance in the Press Information Bureau’s website.

However, on the basis of the latest intel inputs and suggestion of the Protocol Division of the President’s Secretariat, Mukherjee finally cancelled his trip to Hyderabad on Sunday.

The convocation took place on Monday in the presence of Telangana Governor ES Narshiman, where Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was conferred an honorary Doctorate.

According to IB reports, the current Vice Chancellor Zafar Younus Sareshwala has openly defended Indian Islamic preacher, and the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation Zakir Naik, whose terror links are under investigation by the top intelligence agencies of the country. 

Recently the Home Ministry of India cancelled IRF’s FCRA registration by issuing a final show cause notice to the NGO and suspended bureaucrat G K Dwivedi, who renewed the license.

Incidentally, National Urdu University VC Zafar Sareshwala is one the few Muslim faces who had defended the Prime Minister and then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the state for various reasons. 

Even more, his elevation as Vice Chancellor of a National University also stirred controversy as he was dubbed Modi’s choice for the post.

However, his open support to the controversial Naik and President Mukherjee calling off his visit to the varsity at the last minute has created ripples in political circles.