A day after HRD Minister Geetashree Oraon confronted Governor Syed Ahmed for appointing vice chancellors for the four State-run universities, her cabinet colleagues and also State Congress president Sukhdeo Bhagat did not like to be seen with her stubborn stand. They pointed out that her confrontational idea is not suitable for the health of the Government as well as the atmosphere it is functioning. Energy Minister and Congress legislature party leader Rajendra Singh had even refused to acknowledge her stand yesterday.
“The matter should have been decided by sitting together and holding a discussion. I feel that the matter has been long pending one and needed to be resolved sooner than later. The Minister might have her views but she should have thought over twice before opening a front against the constitutional head of the State. How can the Government go in the court against Governor’s decision,” ridiculed Animal Husbandry Minister Mannan Mallick.
Geetashree upped the ante while questioning the decision of the Governor, a former Congress man, to clear names for the VCs of four universities. Such significant posts have been lying vacant for months and seem to have stuck into yet another logjam when the Raj Bhawan cleared names after having consultation with Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday.
The names have come up based on the recommendations of the search committee. However, the HRD Minister has expressed her dissatisfaction and even mulls to challenge it before the court. “The Raj Bhawan has taken its call based on the set guidelines. Any step might have been initiated under the due process of law. The Governor might have acted on the advice given to him by his advisors,” said Agriculture Minister Yogendra Sao in his veiled criticism of Geetashree. When asked whether the latest controversy was taking a toll on the image of the Government, the Agriculture Minister sarcastically replied, “Is it any longer hidden from you (the media)IJ”
Moreover, the biggest disappointment for the embattled Minister came from her party’s State chief Sukhdeo Bhagat. Virtually snubbing Geetashree for the latest controversy the PCC president said, “There should not be a logjam like situation on such issues. The Government should work in a coordinated manner with the Raj Bhawan.
I do not think it is a matter for the court to decide. Though, it is a matter concerning the Government but I will talk to the Minister to prevent anything like that from taking place,” said the PCC president.A minister, requesting anonymity, said that Geetashree has failed to do anything for the improvement of
educational scenario in the State. “She has ensured that nothing, including teachers’ appointment, moves in the department. And when the Governor has taken a call to fill up the vacant posts in the universities, she was trying to throw a spanner playing the tribal card,” the minister maintained. It is pertinent to note that Geetashree has previously been reprimanded by the party leadership over contentious issues such as domicile, teachers’ appointment etc.