Calcutta HC directs Visva-Bharati Univ authorities to reinstate physics prof

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of Calcutta High Court recently directed the Visva-Bharati University authorities to issue an order to reinstate the varsity’s physics professor Manas Maity to an international project from which he was removed last year. During the hearing of the case, Justice Gangopadhyay observed that vice-chancellor (V-C) Bidyut Chakrabarty “should be removed” from his post.

A professor and the head of department of physics of Visva Bharati University was initially selected and permitted by the university for the collaborative research project “Indian Participation in the CMS experiment at CERN: Maintenance, Operation and Upgradation.”

However, because of the letter issued by the V-C Bidyut Chakrabarty dated May 17 2022, the department of Science and Technology, Government of India had intimated the V-C that in view of the suspension, DST was unable to consider the sanction of the project to the University under his guidance.

It was observed by the court: “The letter written by the Vice-Chancellor has a tone as it appears to this court that suspension for some reasons has already been proved. From the second paragraph of the letter of the said Bidyut Chakrabarty it appears that he indirectly suggested the secretary of the department of Science and Technology for deleting the name of the petitioner i.e. Professor Manas Maity from the international project.”

It was noted that nothing has been proved against him till date, the suspension order has also been set aside by order of the court. It was set aside on December 13, 2022. The Court observed that from the letter sent by Chakraborty, it was clear to the court that the VC not only acted against the petitioner but also acted against the interest of the University.

“I wonder how such a person can continue as Vice-Chancellor of a University who himself wants to damage the University’s beneficial attainments. The Ministry of Education is not a party in this matter but because of such damaging letter from his own University, I am of the view that this Bidyut Chakrabarty should be removed from the post of Vice-Chancellor of the University as he has categorically wrote a letter to the department of Science and Technology, Government of India for which not only the University would be deprived (and has been deprived until now) but also the interest of the country in the field of Science and Technology has been jeopardised,” the Justice Gangopadhyay observed.

The matter will appear three weeks after Puja vacation.