The recent resignation offer of Ravenshaw University Vice-Chancellor Prakash Chandra Sarangi alleging political interference has triggered mudslinging among leaders of major political parties in the city.
While senior BJP leader Samir Dey on Thursday dared the V-C to be specific in his allegations, State Congress treasurer Md Moqim directly blamed ruling BJD MlA Pravat Ranjan Biswal for all wrongs in the university.
“If the V-C was not enacting a drama by offering to quit, I challenge him to come out with the truth and name the political parties or leaders who were interfering in the affairs of the university,” Dey, a former Higher Education Minister, said.
Moqim, equally effusive in his reaction, alleged that the Vice-Chancellor was not able to function independently due to repeated interference by ruling party leaders, including the two MlAs of the city.
“The sorry state of affairs in the famous institution (erstwhile Ravenshaw College became a university in 2006) is because of constant and unnecessary interference by the ruling party and its leaders,” Moqim pointedly stated.
But the protagonist of the whole episode and Cuttack-Choudwar MlA Pravat Biswal brazenly defending himself maintains that he was meddling in the affairs of the university because it was his “duty” as the local MlA.
Biswal on numerous previous occasions has embarrassed himself by directly getting involved in the Students’ Union elections and canvassing for candidates of his faction. In fact, two different factions of the BJD operate in the campus, each baying for the other’s blood.
V-C Prof Sarangi, not able to speak out the truth, indicated about the same on Thursday when he said that he was referring to political groups for their interferences and not pointing his finger to any particular political party.
A former Political Science professor himself, Sarangi too is blamed for muddying the waters by making controversial statements. While on the day of his resignation drama, he had equally blamed the civil society for the university row, on Thursday he said all the left, Right and Centre political groups are interfering in the campus affairs.