Baseless Clarification of Former AAU VC

The claim of the former vice-chancellor of AAU that he did not approach the two ministers referred to at the press conference by Hindu Yuba Chatra Parishad, Assam (HYCPA), and therefore had in no way interfered in the selection process of the new VC is far from convincing. It is an open secret– something every conscious person in AAU knows – that the former VC had sent the leaders of the teaching faculty several times during April-July 2019 to the Chief Minister and the Governor of Assam seeking his extension. Similarly, it is also a fact and not speculation that he had an indirect involvement in influencing the selection process of the new VC.

For absolving him of the illegalities, a declaration to that effect has to come from the inquiry committee – which is the appropriate authority – and not by the accused. The former VC’s assertions in this regard, therefore, are absurd and run contrary to the basic tenets of justice. Thirdly, it is preposterous that the Registrar constituted the screening committee at the verbal direction of the Chairman, that too in flagrant violation of the AAU Act-1968. Another incongruity is that the Chairman had ‘sublet’ the responsibility of selecting of the panel of three names for the post of VC, AAU Jorhat, to the Registrar of the university without having any such provision in the AAU Act. It is evident that he had played into the game plan of the former VC.

Moreover, the Registrar of AAU recently stated in a press release published in an Assamese daily that the Chancellor (Governor) of AAU had asked for the opinion of the AAU authority over the report of the inquiry committee. All this makes it amply clear that the former VC is engaged in a manipulative bid to install a person of his choice so that the new VC would give such opinion in his favor.

A Retired Professor,

AAU, Jorhat.