On March 1st, the suspended Delhi University chancellor Yogesh Tyagi wrote to the institutional visitor, President Ram Nath Govind, alleging that his removal is being encouraged by some “elements” from the Union education ministry who are stimulating certain “extra-constitutional people” to support his removal on flimsy grounds.
Tyagi has been under suspension since October 28, 2020, for charges of dereliction of duty. He would complete his tenure as the VC on March 11. He was on medical leave, prior to his suspension.
He claimed in the letter that his suspension should be revoked on grounds of the inquiry conducted against him not being in accordance with norms. Raj Kumar Bhatia, the chancellor’s nominee to the Delhi University Executive Council has also written to the enquiry committee along with a copy marked to the visitor seeking Tyagi’s suspension ordered by the President to be revoked. In the same regard, he told TOI, “I can’t vouch for professor Tyagi’s letter.” But he admitted to his communication, which is in TOI’s possession.
In his letter, Tyagi stated, “The education ministry officials have grossly failed to place before you the various provisions of the Delhi University Act, statutes, ordinances and regulations in their legal (and I would plead, moral as well) perspective as far as they pertain to the role and responsibility of the vice-chancellor personally. Also, some crucial provisions of the Act, statutes and ordinances have been altogether overlooked.” He went on to add,
“The inquiry ordered against the vice-chancellor by invoking Section 7-A of the Delhi University Act is not in accordance with the law. A close perusal of Section 7-A would reveal that the inquiry prescribed under it is curative in nature. The vice-chancellor is expected to be in correspondence with the Visitor. He is not kept away from the University by the mechanism of suspension under presumption of guilt.”
-Yogesh Tyagi, in his letter to Ram Nath Govind
Tyagi also asserted in the letter how it is most uncharitable on the part of the administrating ministry to present before the visitor for approval events and situations, strikes and agitations – attributing them as personal failures of the vice-chancellor since those conversant with the dynamics of agitations, would no doubt, sympathise with the vice-chancellor.
The sending of the letter was confirmed by a university official. However, there is no official confirmation or comment from Tyagi, yet. According to TOI sources, the education ministry has not received any communication from the President’s office about Tyagi’s letter. It is also expecting the inquiry committee to submit its report in a couple of days.
The Vice-Chancellor is not a civil servant and does not enjoy statutory security of service and that action against him cannot be taken as per civil service rules, Tyagi noted, adding, “I am prepared to put my papers if that brings some good and saves the energy of everyone to be devoted to the better cause of this great premier University, especially in its centenary year.”
Thus, he requested the President to hold an “appropriate inquiry lawfully in accordance with the Delhi University Act, 1922,” and to revoke his suspension and “reinstate me at the earliest possible”.
Featured Image Credits: The Logical Indian
Annanya Chaturvedi
Comments are closed.