Criticising Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s order for removal of Satbir Singh Gosal as Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Tuesday, termed his move “completely unconstitutional and illegal”.

Addressing a Press conference, AAP Punjab’s chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said as per Section 15A of the Punjab and Haryana Agriculture Act 1970, the authority to appoint the V-C of PAU rests with the Board of Management of the University, and not with the Governor.

The Board of Management does not require any permission from the Chancellor (Governor) to appoint a V-C. The Governor can neither appoint nor remove the VC of PAU, he said.

Kang alleged that Purohit is working at the behest of the BJP and is deliberately interfering in the day-to-day functioning of the government. The Governor is doing this with the aim of defaming the AAP Government, he added.

Kang told the Governor that if he wants to do politics, he should officially contest the elections on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) symbol. “Do not disrespect the dignity of the post of Governor. Kang appealed to the President of India that the Punjab Governor is acting as a political agent of the BJP, so he should be sacked immediately,” he said.

Kang also asked the Congress whether it supports the decision of the Governor. “Will Congress leaders this time also speak the language of BJP leaders like BJP’s B-team? If not then Punjab Congress should give its clarification on this matter,” he added.

The Governor, who is the chancellor of PAU, had said Gosal’s appointment by the Punjab government is “totally illegal and cannot be accepted by any logic”.

In a letter to the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Purohit asked him to remove the PAU V-C, who had been appointed illegally, without any further delay.

“Charge of the Vice-Chancellor, PAU may be handed over to the Administrative Secretary of the Agriculture Department, till the appointment of new Vice-Chancellor. You are also requested to instruct your concerned Department to initiate the process of the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor, in consultation with the Chancellor. I hope you will realise the seriousness of the issue and take corrective measures immediately in the right spirit,” the Governor said in the letter.