Governors intervention sought to halt probe

KOTTAYAM: Giving a new turn to the tussle between Mahatma Gandhi University Vice-Chancellor Rajan Gurukkal and the varsity syndicate, the pro-LDF members of the senate have sought the Governor’s intervention in the Vigilance inquiry against Gurukkal.A memorandum signed by 25 senate members said the inquiry launched by the Finance Department is a clear case of infringement on the autonomy of the university by the state government.The senate members pointed out in a letter that the Finance Department did not have the right to conduct an inquiry into university proceedings. “The autonomy and independence of the university have to be protected. There is no provision whatsoever enabling the Finance Department to conduct inspection into the day-to-day affairs of the university and the inspection conducted is quite unauthorised and one which cannot be legally accepted or acted upon,” says the letter.The letter says that, in relation to the matters of financial control of the University, there is a statutory finance committee comprising the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice Chancellor, elected members of the senate, syndicate and academic council, Finance Secretary, Higher Education Secretary, the finance officer of the university and the secretary to the finance committee.The letter also explained the stand of the senate on various other issues, including the allegations against the Vice-Chancellor, and asked the Governor not to proceed against the VC based on the report of the Finance Department and restrain the government from interfering in the affairs of the varsity.“We will not tolerate the injustice anymore.  We will go in for legal proceedings if the government moves ahead with the inquiry. The government is acting against University statutes. The Vice-Chancellor has not done anything against the rules and regulations,” said a pro-LDF member of the senate. Meanwhile, the pro-UDF syndicate members last week sent a letter to the Vice-Chancellor asking him to refrain from conducting interview to select two new faculty members in the university  scheduled to be held on April 23.