Fuelling the ongoing face-off between Raj Bhawan and state secretariat Nabanna, Governor CV Ananda Bose, in his capacity as chancellor of state-run universities, appointed interim vice-chancellors ( VCs) of 16 universities.

The universities include Presidency University (PU), MAKAUT, University of Burdwan, West Bengal State University, Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Rani Rashmoni Green University, Biswa Bangla University, Netaji Subhas Open University, Harichand Guruchand University, Alipurduar University.

Subhrakamal Mukhopadhyay, retired chief justice of Karnataka High Court andVC of the Rabindra Bharati University (RBU), has also been appointed as interimVC of the PU as an additional charge.

According to the Raj Bhavan sources, Prof Raj Kumar Kothari has been appointed as the interim VC of the West Bengal State University while Prof Debobrata Basu will head the Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya as an interim VC. Raj Bhavan’s decision to appoint the interimVCs has prompted the state government to make strong reactions against the move.
The state education minister Bratya Basu on Monday accused the Governor of acting in a ‘dictatorial manner’ and claimed that the move could ‘destroy’ the university system in the state.

Mr Basu while reacting to the appointment of the interim VCs in 16 government universities said, “The governor’s move was ‘violative’ of the bill passed by the state legislative Assembly, concerning the roles and functions of the constitutional head as the chancel lor of universities and state government.’

The state government has threatened to take action against the Raj Bhavan. Interestingly, Mr Bose on Sunday evening issued a circular stating that VCs are the principal executive officers of state universities and other officials of the institutions will not take orders directly from the government or execute those without their consent. Historian cum writer Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri, who is close to the chief minister Mamata Banerjee when asked, told The Statesman, “I am not making any comments on these issues. Let me know about the development first. Till then I don’t know who will be accused of fuelling con- troversies, Raj Bhavan or the state government.”