Bengal Guv issues show-cause notice to state varsity VCs for 'ignoring' instruction

Kolkata (IANS) The Governor's House in West Bengal on Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to the vice-chancellors of all state universities for 'ignoring' Governor C.V. Ananda Bose's instruction to submit weekly reports on university affairs to the Raj Bhavan.

The six state universities are Kazi Nazrul University, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Bidhan Chandra Agricultural University, West Bengal State University, Kalyani University, and The University of Burdwan.

On April 4, the Governor's House had instructed the VCs of all state universities to submit a weekly report to the Raj Bhavan, wherein the VCs were also asked to take prior concurrence from the Raj Bhavan in all finance-related matters.

However, taking note of the reluctance on the part of the state universities to submit the weekly report, a reminder was sent to the VCs on May 22 by the office of the special secretary to the Governor.

After failing to get any response, the Governor's House has now issued show-cause notice to the VCs of the six state universities.

The Governor, by virtue of his chair, is the chancellor of the state universities.

A cold war between the Governor's House and the state education department has already started on this issue, with the Education Minister Bratya Basu describing the move by Bose as an "action beyond his jurisdiction".

Basu had also said that his department is consulting the legal brains in this matter.

Earlier, a row between the state education department and the Raj Bhavan had broken out over the Governor's frequent spot visits to different state universities to review the activities there.

The state government had objected to Bose's visits, claiming that the Governor should not have taken such a step without prior intimation to the education department.