The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday raised the issue of severe impropriety and illegality in Delhi University. The party questioned appointments being made for senior posts without following the due process. Addressing a press conference on the issue, AAP Senior Leader and MLA Shri Somnath Bharti said that Delhi University is known all over the world for its academic excellence but it is unfortunate to see laws not being obeyed and the recommendation of the Delhi Government being ignored on purpose to enable saffronisation of the university campus. The Senior AAP Leader pointed out how the BJP has since forming the government at the Centre in 2014, slowly eroded the faith of the public from democratic institutions. He said that the Executive Council that is headed by the Vice Chancellor has intentionally started to ignore the recommendations sent by the Delhi Government and has been involved in nominating members of a particular ideology for senior posts in the university in violation of prescribed rules. The AAP MLA said that there are 28 colleges within the Delhi University for which the Governing Body members are appointed by the Delhi Govt. He added that of these 28 colleges, the Delhi University fully funds 12 colleges and partially funds the remaining 16 colleges. But for the Governing Body in these colleges, the names of members are recommended by the Delhi Government, and the Executive Council holds a meeting and approves these names of candidates.
He elaborated and said that these Governing Bodies play a key role as they are responsible for selecting the principal of the college and deciding which adjunct faculty members are to be made permanent within the college. Under the able leadership of Shri Arvind Kejriwal, AAP has held a position which states that those adjunct faculty members who have given 15 or 20 years of their lives to the teaching profession should always be given priority wherever a position for a permanent faculty arises. Therefore it is important that the Governing Body is a strong one and the people who are a part of it, follow the rules that are laid down.
Citing a document, Shri Somnath Bharti said that on 28th January this year, the then Deputy CM and Education Minister Shri Manish Sisodia wrote a letter and asked for the Governing Body members recommended by the Delhi Government to be approved by the Executive Council meeting that was to be held on 3rd February. Although this meeting was held, the recommendations were not approved and the reasoning given behind this was that there were some ‘technical grounds’ for it. But later in the month, three members were nominated to the governing body of Bharti College so that the vacant position of the principal in Bharti College can be filled in by a person of their choice. This was done without the approval of the Executive Council on the names of the candidates and the same is illegal.
The AAP MLA pointed out that the members nominated by the Delhi Government as per the rules were being ignored while other members who were favourable towards the BJP were being nominated instead. He added that this is illegal as well as unconstitutional and in violation of Statute and the university rules.
He concluded by saying that the process to appoint a principal in Bharti College without the approval of the Executive Council is illegal and therefore this attempt shall be void. “The three nominees to the governing body of Bharti college to fill in the post of principal in Bharti College are illegal and therefore this appointment will be in violation of statutes. Further, our demand is that the names sent by the Delhi Government according to the rules for the appointment of members for the Governing Bodies of these 28 colleges be approved by the Executive Council. Any appointment of a college principal before this process shall be considered to be illegal. The Aam Aadmi Party firmly stands against the illegal step taken by the Vice Chancellor to try to allow the saffronisation of Delhi University.” And ad hoc and temporary teachers have to be given priority over new persons while filling in a permanent position of the college.
On the occasion, AADTA’s National Incharge Shri Aditya Narayan Mishra stated, “The way BJP is working to destroy institutions, in the same way DU administration is working under the leadership of VC of Delhi University. BJP wants to destroy a 100 years old education institution and want to bring its own people everywhere, whether they are qualified or not.”
