The Himachal Pradesh CPM has asked the state election commission to vigilantly watch the 43rd foundation day (22nd July) of the Himachal Pradesh University. CPM leader and Deputy Mayor Shimla Tikender Singh Panwar said that the Election commission of India has to keenly watch the proceedings of the function and must appoint an observer for the event. The foundation day is being used to propagate and spread the political campaign of the BJP in the state. The party has stated a mere look at the guests and the speakers would unambiguously make the charge clear. Barring a few High Court judges more than 70% of the guests include RSS people. Another important guest on the occasion would be Chandan Mitra who happens to be a BJP Member of Parliament. Instead, there could have been eminent academicians who could have graced the occasion. The party has indicted the incumbent Vice Chancellor for working under the directions of the BJP.
The CPM has stated, the office of the Vice Chancellor is becoming a den of corruption and such activities are being promoted to usurp enormous money for private gains. The party has asked for a special audit of the foundation day. It has been alleged by several sections of the people that even some of the private universities are being asked to fund the foundation day of the HPU. It is shocking that these private universities have been asked to mobilise funds for the HPU function. The party has further alleged the role of the VC into awarding honorary degrees to some of the most non deserving people of the country and Rajiv Shukla’s name figure on the top. There exists a close connection in between the IPL and the office of the Vice Chancellor who facilitated these degrees bypassing all norms and the ordinance of the Himachal Pradesh University.
The party has further alleged that the foundation day emblem itself speaks about the pro RSS elements in the design. The chairpersons similarly are from RSS background and this is an exercise to ensure that the BJP agenda succeeds in the academic fraternity. It is learnt that the wife of the incumbent VC is also chairing a session. The CPIM has asked for her credentials; just being a spouse of the VC is not sufficient to be someone to chair important sessions in the HPU. Just recently the HPU has appointed a retiree as the director of the ICDEOL throwing all precedents and norms in the dustbin. The party has further stated the appointment and functioning of the VC will be an important agenda of campaign to expose the BJP of not only saffronizing the institution but also jeopardising academics in the centre.
