A fresh controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu after Governor RN Ravi likened the MK Stalin-led state government’s actions to the Emergency era, following a large-scale boycott of a Vice-Chancellors’ conference convened by the Raj Bhavan.
The two-day annual conference of Vice-Chancellors, scheduled for April 25 and 26 at the Raj Bhavan campus in Udhagamandalam (Ooty). As per the official brief, the conference was meant for better administration in higher education.
All the 56 VCs in Tamil Nadu including the heads of five central universities, four central institutions, 20 state universities, and 27 private universities were formally invited by the Raj Bhavan for the conference. However, only 18 out of the 56 invited Vice-Chancellors attended, with all heads of the 20 state-run universities absent from the gathering.
The conference was announced just days after Governor Ravi met Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar in Delhi on April 19. This meeting followed the Supreme Court's (SC) ruling that various Bills pertaining to universities, re-adopted by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and bills pending with the President, were deemed to be granted assent.
Of the 18 VCs who did attend, only two represented state universities — and both were lower-ranking officials. The director of the research department of Periyar University and a principal from Alagappa University’s physical education department were present, not the VCs themselves.
Governor Ravi alleged that this absence was due to intimidation by the Tamil Nadu government. In a strongly worded social media post, Governor Ravi wrote, “The way Hon'ble CM Thiru. Stalin used police to deter the Vice-Chancellors of state universities from participating in the pre scheduled conference today, reminiscent of the Emergency days.”
He alleged that ministers’ telephonic threats had failed, so the state government resorted to police coercion.
“One VC was taken to the police station on the day of the conference,” he stated, referring to Periyar University VC R Jagannathan, who was summoned by Suramangalam police for an inquiry. Ravi further alleged that police officers visited hotels in Ooty during the night, threatening university officials with consequences if they attended the conference.
Others who had reached Ooty had midnight knocks on their hotel rooms by the state police. They were threatened by police with dire consequences to their life and that they would not be allowed to go home if they attended the conference, he claimed
“Is it a police state? Don’t VCs have academic freedom to attend an academic conference within the state? Or is CM Stalin afraid of the consequences of rise in standards of state universities which largely caters to Dalit and poor students and any quality improvement will make them aspirational and inspirational that could be a threat to his political future?” Governor alleged.
The conference was inaugurated by Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who said that the National Education Policy is not the government's education policy but the country's education policy. “University Vice-Chancellors should research the National Education Policy thoroughly and come forward to implement it,” he said.
Acknowledging the poor turnout, the Vice-Presedent said that there could be various reasons for the Vice-Chancellors not participating in the event, But, the Governor should not take it seriously, he added.
In response to the Governor’s accusations, Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi and Minister Govi Chezhian defended the VCs’ decision to boycott the event.
“The VCs are aware of the SC verdict and law. Despite knowing everything, the Governor convened the conference in a deliberate attempt to pick a fight with the state government since SC gave a ruling in government favour empowering it to appoint VCs.”
“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. How is the state government responsible for their absence? Is it necessary for the VCs also to not respect the law?” Chezhian asked.