Academicians, parties divided over Surappa’s appointment as V-C
At a time when the State is boiling over the delay in formation of the CMB, the appointment of a Karnataka Prof MK Surappa as Anna University Vice Chancellor has infuriated Opposition parties
By : migrator
Update: 2018-04-06 19:59 GMT
Chennai
Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, while explaining the appointment process, absolved the state of having any role in the appointment of the Karnataka prof to the state’s top engineering institution. The academic community, however, has welcomed the move.
The Minister further said, “It is the Governor, in his capacity as Chancellor of the institution, who named the VC from the list of three others’ suggested by the search committee. The state govt’s role is limited in providing one member as its representative to the committee, which will have two more members, including the Governor’s representative.”
Responding to a query on ‘saffronising’ educational institutions, Jayakumar maintained that only black, white and red (the colours featured in the AIADMK flag) would prevail in the state for years to come. “Saffron has no space in TN,” he asserted. Opposition leaders, who questioned the rationale behind the appointment, slammed the Governor’s action as atrocious and arrogant.
Leader of Opposition MK Stalin termed the appointment as an attack on the self-esteem of the state through a social media post. “At a time when the Cauvery imbroglio is burning in the state, the appointment of Surappa, a professor from Karnataka by the Governor is not acceptable, and akin to the attack on self-esteem of Tamils,” Stalin said.
Academicians welcome Surappa’s appointment
The appointment of Anna University Vice-Chancellor Prof MK Surappa has evoked mixed response from the state.
While DMK working president MK Stalin warned not to saffronise Tamil Nadu universities by importing Vice Chancellors while insulting the ‘sons of the soil,’ MDMK leader Vaiko demanded that the Governor withdraw the appointment and give the post to an academician from Tamil Nadu.
The AIADMK allies and legislators S Karunaas (Mukkulathor Pulipadai), Thaniyarasu (Kongu Ilaignar Peravai) and Thamimum Ansari (Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi), termed the Governor’s action as ‘rubbing salt in the wound’ in the current political climate and wanted both the Governor and the Centre to drop their attempts to saffronise the state.
Founder-president of PMK S Ramadoss said that speculation was already rife a couple of days ago that Surappa will be appointed as VC for Anna University. Surappa has revealed such information to his close friends. “It raises several questions that how Surappa was aware that he will be appointed as VC even before the interview and other process,” he questioned.
He urged the Governor to cancel the appointment. “If Governor failed to do so, the teaching fraternity in Anna University should not cooperate with the VC. Even student should stage protest the appointment and PMK will hold demonstration,” he stressed.
Similarly, K Balakrishnan, state secretary of CPM, said, “Since Anna University was established in 1978, VCs from Tamil Nadu have been appointed. In such a condition, the decision to appoint Surappa as VC seems to have taken with political motive.”
Explaining that many qualified persons from Tamil Nadu were waiting for getting appointments for VCs posts Balakrishnan said, “The Governor has taken a decision on his own without consulting anyone and it is completely unacceptable.” Governor’s act was completely wrong over appointment of VC, he charged.
CPI state secretary R Mutharasan too condemned the act. “Going by the present scenario, the appointment of VC for Anna University has political connectivity,” he said.
Not saffronising university: Tamilisai
The BJP state unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan on Friday said that BJP is not saffronising the universities in the state.
After hoisting the flag at her party office here on the eve of the party’s foundation day, she said that BJP is not saffronising the educational institutions by appointing a Vice-Chancellor to Anna University.
The appointment of MK Surappa is based on merit and it should not be politicized, she said. She added that parties which ruled the state and worked against the farmers on the Cauvery issue, is now resorting to agitation for political reason.
After a gap of nearly two years, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday appointed former director of IIT-Ropar MK Surappa as the Vice-Chancellor of the university for a period of three years from the date of occupying office.
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