A conference of the Vice Chancellors, held in Ooty, which was inaugurated by vice president Jagdeep Dhankar, is likely to escalate tensions between the Raj Bhavan and the DMK-run Tamil Nadu government.
It is all likely to take a toll on the functioning of the state-run universities which are already facing a huge financial crisis even to manage the day-to-day activities. Incidentally, six universities have remained headless for the past two years due to the existing power struggle between Governor Ravi and the government, in setting up the search panels to appoint the VCs.
During the conference at Ooty, Ravi accused the state government and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin used the police force to deter the VCs from attending the conference. He even accused that some of the VCs were kept under house arrest and some others were threatened for participating in the conference.
“It is reminiscent of the emergency days. When telephonic threats from the minister of higher education to the VCs not to participate in the conference did not work, Chief Minister Stalin used the police. Some VCs have given me in writing that they have had midnight knocks at their doors, saying they can’t return home. I told them to take care of their families,” Ravi alleged while addressing the VCs at the conference held in Ooty.
Ravi also questioned if Stalin was afraid of the consequences of the rise in standards of state universities and felt that it could be a threat to his political future. “The standards of the state universities largely cater to Dalit and poor students. Any quality improvement will make them aspirational and inspirational. Does he feel that it could be a threat to his political future?” he asked.
Speaking during the meeting, Dhankar said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is accepted by all and "only Tamil Nadu is opposing it.” Stating that the most significant aspect of NEP 2020 is for students to learn in their mother tongue, Dhankar said, “NEP It has got us out of the colonial regime. Even medicine and engineering in local languages, which could not be entertained at one point in time, even in dreams, are getting in shape on the ground.”
Replying to Ravi’s accusations, in a strongly worded statement, higher education minister Govi Chezhian pointed out that the VCs have boycotted the conference due to the Supreme Court verdict that transferred the powers of managing universities from the Governor to the state government. “The VCs are aware of the SC verdict and law. Despite knowing everything, the Governor is hell-bent on fomenting trouble. Since the VCs felt it would amount to going against the law to participate in an illegal meeting convened by the Governor, they have boycotted. Is it necessary for the VCs also to not respect the law?”
