In a new flashpoint between West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and CM Mamata Banerjee, her cabinet has announced that the Chief Minister will take over as chancellor of all state-run universities. Banerjee would replace Jagdeep Dhankhar, who as the incumbent Governor had the responsibility of serving as the chancellor of state-run universities in Bengal.
The decision was taken by the West Bengal state cabinet on Thursday, May 26. According to the new law, The Chief Minister of the state will be made the chancellor of state-run universities. Bratya Basu, Bengal’s Education Minister announced the cabinet’s decision after the cabinet meeting took place today.
It is believed that the decision was taken after West Bengal Governor Dhankar earlier alleged that the state government had appointed several Vice-Chancellors to universities without Raj Bhavan’s consent. Dhankhar had written on Twitter that vice-chancellors of 25 universities in the state were appointed illegally without his approval.
Education Environ-“Law of ruler, not rule of law” @MamataOfficial
— Governor West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) January 15, 2022
VCs of 24 (now 25) Universities appointed illegally without Chancellor approval.
Calcutta Univ VC Sonali Chakravarty gets second full four year term without any selection. No CM response to Aug 17 communication. pic.twitter.com/E6DZLgVhFz
On this issue, Dhankhar had openly called out CM Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu seeking a response from them over their directive. He also called out the re-appointment of Sonali Chakravarti as the VC a ‘classic case of patronage’.
Earlier in December, Minister Basu had said in a tweet,”It is high time to introspect whether we should continue with the colonial legacy of the Governor being the Chancellor of Universities just by the virtue of his post or we should nominate eminent scholars and educationists as Chancellors.”
It is high time to introspect whether we should continue with the colonial legacy of the Governor being the Chancellor of Universities just by the virtue of his post or we should nominate eminent scholars and educationists as Chancellors.#WestBengal #BratyaBasu #Education
— Bratya Basu (@basu_bratya) December 24, 2021
In the same month, Dhankhar had expressed his anguish when the VCs of private universities in Bengal did not turn up to a meeting hosted by him. While the state cabinet has given its nod to the proposal, the government will soon be introducing the bill in the assembly – which will likely get passed. However, the bill need governor’s consent to finally become a law.
