The Centre on Wednesday finally initiated the process of removing tainted Visva Bharati University Vice Chancellor Sushanta Dattagupta by issuing a show-cause notice against him seeking his explanation on alleged financial and administrative irregularities as examined by a three-member panel set up by the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry this February.
Sources in the HRD Ministry said Dattagupta has been given 21 days to explain his position before the Ministry contemplates further action against him. “The President, who is the Visitor to the Central universities including Viswa Bharti, can invoke Section 16 of the General Clause Act to remove a VC. The Ministry had last week got the approval of the President to showcause Dattagupta,” said a HRD Ministry official.
This is the second time the Ministry has issued a showcause to a Central university VC. In March this year, Delhi University VC Dinesh Singh was issued a show-cause notice, asking him to explain the circumstances under which he had introduced the controversial FYUP. The Ministry is yet to take any action against him even though Singh is set to retire in October this year.
The three-member panel headed by former judge of Allahabad High Court Justice Sakharam Singh Yadav took cognisance of several enquiries and complaints against Dattagupta, including alleged misappropriation of funds. Dattagupta has been accused of making several illegal appointments including the appointment of the Controller of Examinations despite having no powers to do so and sanctioning key posts in violation of the Visva Bharti Act.
He is also accused of drawing his salary from Visva-Bharati and pension from Jawaharlal Nehru University, which is a gross violation of the university’s Act. A section of teachers and students in the varsity had been demanding the removal of Dattagupta. The charges against Dattagupta had also been raised by Bhattacharya in Parliament during the last Winter Session.
Pressure began on the HRD Ministry when senior Congress leader from West Bengal and Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Bhattacharya met President Pranab Mukherjee demanding removal of Dattagupta, claiming that the university has been “losing its glory” under him.