Jadavpur University impasse: Officiating V-C says he will not discharge responsibilities

Kolkata: The impasse in Jadavpur University (JU) continued on Tuesday with its officiating vice-chancellor (V-C) Buddhadeb Sau abstaining from work on Tuesday following his removal by the chancellor and Governor C V Ananda Bose. Sau said in a statement that he does not consider it "prudent" to attend office and discharge responsibilities as the officiating V-C "till the air is cleared".

"I prefer to wait for the Supreme Court decision (on the appointment of V-Cs in the state universities). Accordingly I am not going to the office of the JU V-C," he said. Sau was appointed the officiating V-C of the prestigious university by Raj Bhavan on August 17 last year but was removed by Governor C V Ananda Bose on December 23 on 'disciplinary grounds'. Bose has been in conflict with the Higher Education department over appointment of officiating vice-chancellors of state-run universities. The appointment of permanent V-Cs in 31 state universities, including Jadavpur University and Calcutta University, is pending before the Supreme Court after the state approached it in the wake of the governor's

move to appoint officiating V-Cs during June-August without consulting it.

"Due to the ongoing legal and administrative confusion caused by a series of communications, especially from the chancellor's office and the related communications from the state government regarding the functioning of the interim V-C JU, I prefer to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court," he added. with agency inputs