Varsity appointments: Kerala guv mounts attack on CM, higher education min

Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and minister of higher education R Bindu over the issue of appointment in universities and said he is not able to work in an environment where too much political interference.

"I am not able to work in this environment where I find too much political interference in the working of the university and the autonomy of the university is being completely eroded," said Khan.

Reiterating his demand that the chief minister should bring an ordinance to hand over the powers of the chancellor to CM himself, Khan said, "Conflict comes when you assert your authority against some other authority. I have requested that you bring an ordinance, you become the chancellor, let anybody become the chancellor, but for me, it is not possible to see this kind of political interference."

Governor had sent a letter to the chief minister on December 8 expressing his displeasure over political appointments in state's universities.

"Everything is out. Minister (higher education) has written letters to me. The rules and the law clearly provide that there will be a selection committee that will be independent. They do not work even under the instruction of the chancellor. Here, the minister is writing a letter that such and such could be appointed," he said.

Earlier reacting to the letter sent by the governor, CM Vijayan had said, "The appointment of the vice-chancellor of Kannur University was signed by the governor. The denial after signing was not correct. The rejection of the signed order may be due to other interference. Deviations in the Governor's position may be due to pressure."

"University chancellor post is not something that we are desire. We do not have any such intention. The government has not made any such move. What government wishes is that the Governor should continue in that post," he said. Opposition parties Congress and BJP have also criticized Chief Minister and State Government for nepotism and political interference in universities. Opposition parties also demanded judicial enquiry on all appointments in universities made by Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the last six years.