Pataliputra University Registrar, Acting VC showdown reaches Raj Bhawan, education department; police complaint lodged

Jha, a Patna University professor, has lodged the complaint with the Bahdurpur police station and also apprised the Raj Bhawan, education minister and the additional chief secretary (education) about the situation, which he said could have turned dangerous for him had he been present in his house.

“Four persons – two security guards and two officials – arrived at my house in the escort vehicle of the VC at 11.40 pm and seemed to be in inebriated condition, as the CCTV footage shows. They wanted me to sign on a file. Had I been in the house, they could have done anything, as they seemed to be in foul mood,” he said in his complaint.

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The station house officer (SHO) of Bahadur police station confirmed having received a written complaint and corroborated the incident after going through the CCTV footage.

“We will interrogate all the four, who went so late at night at the residence of an officer. Even if there was some urgent work, normally one would call to know the availability before going at anyone’s house at odd hours,” said a police officer.

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The VC, on the other hand, told media persons that the officials had gone to the registrar’s residence for getting the proceedings of the Syndicate meeting, held on March 29, signed that day. “The registrar had left after the meeting and the proceeding was to be prepared the same day. The registrar’s phone was switched off and so the officials went there,” he added. He did not respond when HT tried to contact him on phone.

Jha contradicted the VC’s statement, saying that the Syndicate meeting was over by 6.30, he was at the office till 7.30 pm and there was no apparently urgency till then, as Syndicate meeting is a routine affair and it is never a mandatory provision to get the minutes ready by midnight.

“At 10 pm, I got a call from VC’s PA to reach office within five minutes. I said I cannot, as I am with an ailing relative and cannot reach. That also saved me, perhaps. It might have been a ploy to call me and pressurise me. Despite my clear ‘no’, two persons were sent to my house at 10.30 pm and later four persons again reached at 11.40 pm in escort vehicle,” he added.

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He said that even on Wednesday, he was unable to go to his office due to slogan-shouting against him in the office. “I will apprise the police as well as the Raj Bhawan about the situation and would seek permission to work from home in view of safety threat due to open movement of outsiders. I have the video clips of the prevailing situation,” he added.

A senior official of the university said it was unfortunate that the state universities in Bihar were always in news for wrong reasons and it could be a result of the practice of ad hoc arrangement at the top position for a long period

“Acting VCs holding additional charge are directed by the Raj Bhawan not to take policy decisions. There is a clear order in this regard and what constitutes policy decisions has also been clearly defined. It should be for a brief period, not for months. Running one state university is a challenge and how can one manage two or three,” he added.

The order, accessed by HT, clearly mentions that convening and presiding over the meeting of selection committee/any other promotion committee, convening meeting of Senate, Syndicate and Academic Council, new appointments / recruitment process. taking decisions which have financial implications, initiating new constructions work and floating fresh tender and other actions which may be categorised as policy decisions of the university come under the purview.

“It is further, requested that if, in the interest of University, policy decisions are required to be taken, then prior approval of Chancellor should be taken,” says the Raj Bhawan order.

Pataliputra University has been under additional charge of Yadav since January 15 this year, after the end of the tenure of former VC RK Singh, who was also in controversy over alleged irregularities in the appointment of principals in three colleges.

The matter was also raised in the Bihar Assembly by BJP MLA Arun Kumar Sinha and the Raj Bhawan also served him show cause and restrained him from taking any policy decision.

“It has been observed that junior professors have been given charge of college principals in place of seniors, which is against the Raj Bhawan direction and statutes,” the earlier letter from Robert L Chongthu, principal secretary to the Governor, to all the universities, seeking compliance within 15 days.

However, the compliance was never done and later the restraint order was withdrawn and the principals were allowed to continue in a weird turn of events. Jha said it was also a reason why he was being put under pressure to sign the files for the removal of some principals.

“I told him that this would require Chancellor’s direction and in any case the principals appointed by the Bihar state university commission would be there soon. The VC is holdings additional charge and outsiders keep moving in the university camps us till 11 pm. Without registrar’s knowledge, files go out of office. Old security guards and supervisors are being removed to create room for new appointments. Any institution can function with basic working discipline only . I hope Raj Bhagwan will see if its own directions are being followed or not,” he added.