Last Updated: June 20, 2023, 18:29 IST
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said the Governor wanted to destroy every glory of the state. (PTI/File)
The passage of the Bill could trigger yet another row as it will be required to be presented to the Governor for assent
In what could lead to further acrimony between the CM Bhagwant Mann-led government and Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit, the state assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023, which aims to remove Governor from the post of Chancellor of all 11 state universities.
While tabling the Bill, Mann said that if the government cannot appoint VCs, it will be “letting down the mandate of people”.
Continuing his attack on the Governor, Mann said that the Governor wanted to destroy every glory of the state. “The Governor is lobbying to push Haryana’s people for syndicate and senate of Panjab University,” claimed Mann. While the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) supported the Bill, the Congress had earlier walked out of the session.
Under the proposed Bill, the Chief Minister will be the new chancellor of all state universities, a senior functionary of the government said.
‘SELECTED NAMES STALLED’
The passage of the Bill could trigger yet another row as it will be required to be presented to the Governor for assent.
A row between the government and the Governor had erupted when the latter stalled the selections for the post of Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, made by the government. The Governor had sent the files back on the pretext that it had lapses in the selection procedure. He had even refused accept the appointments of Dr GS Wander as VC of the BFUHS and Dr Satbir Singh Gosal for the PAU.
The government then started to explore away out to remove the Governor as Chancellor of all state universities.
CONTROVERSIAL APPOINTMENTS
Last week, a fresh controversy erupted after the Governor appointed Susheel Mittal as Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Technical University. There were allegations that Mittal was a staunch RSS supporter. Similarly, the appointment of Rajiv Sood as the VC of BFUHS also remained in controversy, as he was selected after ignoring three high-profile doctors from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector-32.
The Bill is reportedly on the lines of University Laws (Amendments) Bill passed by the Kerala Assembly last year. It was passed following a confrontation with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on appointments at state universities in Kerala.
