DU suspends college chairman for backing expelled VC

A day after President Ram Nath Kovind suspended DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, chairman of Dyal Singh College Rajiv Nayan has also been suspended. Nayan in his Facebook post had come out in the support of Yogesh Tyagi.

New Delhi: The chairman of Dyal Singh College Rajiv Nayan has been suspended by the Delhi University administration for coming out in the defence of varsity's Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi. Yogesh Tyagi was suspended on the orders of President Ram Nath Kovind yesterday after an inquiry was instituted against him over allegations of administrative lapses and dereliction of duty.

Rajiv Nayan, who is also a member of the governing body of Dyal Singh College, was sent a notice by the Joint Registrar SK Dogra. Nayan had posted a message on his social media account supporting Yogesh Tyagi after controversies started surrounding him. Rajiv Nayan had heaped praises on Yogesh Tyagi which apparently did not go down well with the administration leading to his suspension.

Notice issued to chairman Rajiv Nayan

Tyagi is possibly the first Delhi University VC to face suspension. University officials said such an action had not been taken against any VC in at least three decades.

The action comes amid a power tussle in the central university.

The President, who is the Visitor to the university, has placed Tyagi under suspension to ensure that the inquiry is fair and that he is not able to tamper with material records or coerce the witnesses, a senior ministry official said.

READ:President Kovind suspends DU Vice Chancellor Prof Yogesh Tyagi

Among the lapses flagged against Tyagi are non-filling of vacant positions, delay in the redressal of sexual harassment cases and vigilance complaints in university, mishandling of the issue of ad-hoc teachers which led to a massive agitation, and non-submission of a detailed plan for implementation of the Institution of Eminence (IoE) and the latest being certain appointments made while he is on medical leave.

"The President of India in his capacity as Visitor of the University, on consideration of facts and material available on record, has ordered to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of dereliction of duties and lack of commitment and devotion to duty against Yogesh Tyagi," said Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Education (MoE).

"The president has also been pleased to place him under suspension with immediate effect until further orders as he may influence or coerce the witnesses and tamper with the material records of the university so as to ensure fair inquiry.

With PTI inputs