Despite the seasonal chill, Delhi University is warming up for the appointment of the next Vice-Chancellor in the New Year. The position has been lying vacant ever since Professor Dinesh Singh demitted office in autumn this year.
The front-runners for the position as of now are Professors RN Kaul Bamzai (JNU), Yogesh Tyagi (JNU), Hemchandra Gupta (IIT) and Bidyut Chakraborty (Delhi University).
Of these Chakraborty, a globally-acclaimed political scientist has invited sharp reactions from the Left, though he is not a right-wing intellectual especially in the RSS mould.
Chakraborty, however, all through his academic career has been a victim of Left-wing harassment. This should stand him in good stead when a decision is finally taken regarding hoary university’s top honcho, as his harassment at the hands of left could get him accolades of the RSS.
Smelling the possibility of Chakraborty occupying the august office in the Viceregal Lodge, the Left has already gone to town claiming he is involved in a sexual harassment case, which is half truth, as Chakraborty was by absolved by the High Court in the matter, which also reprimanded the police for not filing a closure report in the matter.
Quashing the FIR, the HC order dated September 9, 2010 said: “No evidence that … the petitioner had threatened the complainant or molested her as alleged, rather the sequence of events show that scolding had taken place on the employees not being present during the work hours.”
“Earlier in his career too he was denied headship of Political Science department by then Vice-Chancellor Professor Deepak Nayyar and a professor from JNU was brought and foisted on him. He was later awarded headship on the orders of the Supreme Court,” said Inder Kapahy, member University Grants Commission.
“The candidature of Professor Chakraborty should be considered on merit and not get drowned in the cacophony of trumped up charges, of which he has been absolved by the highest court of the land,” added Kapahy.