Guv's 'humiliating & intimidating letter': V-Cs abstain meet

Kolkata: The Vice-Chancellors of the state-aided universities did not turn up at the virtual meeting convened by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday.

On Tuesday evening, the Upacharya Parishad, the Vice-Chancellors' body, had issued a strong statement making it clear that they would not be

attending the meeting as

they had felt that the

language used in Governor's letter to them has hurt their prestige.

Subir Bhattacharya, Vice-Chancellor of North Bengal University and general-secretary of the Parishad said that it will not be possible for them to attend any meeting unless the invitation is routed through the Higher Education department.

The letter read, "…the ViceChancellors received a humiliating letter (No. 358- S) from the office of the Hon'ble Chancellor on 13.07.2020 and again received an intimidating letter (No. 361-S) on 14.07.2020. Upacharya Parishad considers it extremely unfortunate to receive such communications from the office of the Hon'ble Chancellor during this critical national crisis."

Dhankhar, who is also the defacto chancellor of the state universities, had sent his first letter to the Vice-Chancellors on July 7, asking them to attend the meeting.

The Vice-Chancellors wrote back stating that the invitation had to be routed through the Education department

according to law. Their letter was routed through the

government.

Dhankhar described the action by the Vice-Chancellors as biased and tweeted: "Had benefit of inputs from V-C and Pro-V-C of West Bengal University of Health Sciences in Virtual Conference. Unfortunately other V-Cs in disregard of

student interests failed in their duty to attend. Would

never compromise student welfare. Meeting Press on 16/07 at 11.30 am."