Union HRD ministry may give clean chit to BHU V-C

New Delhi: Even though protests at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) are yet to die to down, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has 'decided' to give a clean chit to BHU VC GC Tripathi.

According to HRD sources, the ministry is considering the issue as a matter of law and order and is of the view that it should be resolved by the state administration rather than the VHU administration and its Vice-Chancellor.

Meanwhile, Tripathi presented his views before the university's Executive Council meeting, which held in the national capital on Tuesday. As Tripathi was in the town, the BHU VC was supposed to call on HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar to explain the whole episode. According to sources, the 'scheduled' closed-door meeting didn't happen.

Talking to Millennium Post, a senior ministry official said, "The HRD Ministry is regular touch with the officials of the university. The incident of lathicharge on girl students is a condemnable act. The university has already taken action against all responsible persons."

Raising questions over the demand of action against BHU VC, the official said, "On what basis action would be initiated against Tripathi? Is there any complaints against the BHU V-C?"

The official further said, "Given that BHU is an autonomous body, so when there would not be any complaint of malpractice against the V-C, the ministry wouldn't initiate any action against him?" As the tenure of Tripathi as BHU VC would end in November, the ministry would let him complete his tenure as it had happened in Delhi University V-C Dinesh Singh, the official said.

Earlier, presenting his views at the university's Executive Council meeting, Tripathi assured council members that there is no issue of safety and security of students at the campus and the trouble was orchestrated by outsiders. The university administration has taken a note of demands made of girls and started the process of installation of CCTV cameras on the campus, he said.