Interim VC Of Calcutta University Walks Out After Nine Hours Of Gherao By TMCP Members

TMC Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) spokesperson Abhirup Chakraborty said that Shanta Dutta was gheraoed because she carried out administrative responsibilities even after the expiry of her six-month term.

Kolkata:Interim vice-chancellor of Calcutta University, Shanta Dutta walked out through the back gate of the university on Friday midnight after being gheraoed by the ruling Trinamul Congress's students' wing, TMC Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) for over nine hours.

The student body accused Dutta of chairing a meeting of the university's highest decision-making body, the syndicate, even after the completion of her term. The gherao that began at 3 PM on Friday, August 2, came to an end around midnight, TMCP spokesperson Abhirup Chakraborty confirmed.

"Since our semester exams will begin a day later, and considering Dutta's age and health issues, we did not continue the gherao indefinitely. However, students will never allow the authority to convene a syndicate meeting with Dutta at the helm. We term this as illegal," he said.

Speaking about the reason behind this action, Chakraborty blamed Dutta for discharging administrative responsibilities even though her six-month term had ended.

As per sources, right after the meeting commenced, the student council members locked the VC's room all of a sudden keeping the Darbhanga building locked. "Her term was for six months, and she was holding onto the post in an unauthorised manner, discharging administrative responsibilities," Chakraborty added.

He mentioned of a a search committee which has been established by the Supreme Court to select permanent vice chancellors for CU and thirty other state-run universities. Regarding the allegations presented by the TMCP regarding the syndicate meeting, the varsity administration declined to give out any statement to the press.

Governor CV Ananda Bose appointed Dutta; the Higher Education Department of the TMC administration claimed that it was not consulted.

Members of the student council also complained of PhD results not being out despite 11 months having passed away. Members of the Padua Trinamool Chhatra Parishad who have been awaiting their PhD results have not received them yet and it is an issue of huge concern, the members said.

Two days ago, Presidency University Vice-Chancellor Nirmalya Narayan Chakraborty was under gherao for over 12 hours by students demanding to reverse the proposed hike in admission fees.