New Delhi: In a clear U-turn from his earlier stand, Allahabad University Vice Chancellor RL Hangloo has now stated that Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani has “never interfered in the functioning of this university.
In his letter to Rajya Sabha Chariman Hamid Ansari, Hangloo said Irani “has always encouraged us with her rare flash of brilliance,” and that there have been “twisted statements by the press and media which should be ignored in totality.”
Hangloo had earlier alleged that many politicians belonging to Congress, BJP, SP and AVBP, were involved in the university affairs and the varsity will not grow if politicians interfere.
“We want to take the university on the path of excellence and this is a jolt to our aim. All my associates are saying this is a jolt to the university and politicians are hampering the university’s growth. The political interference is a setback for the university.
“If politicians continue to interfere, we all will have to leave. Then government can run the university as per their opinion. Then it would be better to have MLAs or MPs as VCs in place of acamedicians,” Hangloo said on Tuesday.
Allahabad University on Wednesday had informed the Centre that activists of a political party threatened its Vice-Chancellor while extending support to agitating students, with HRD Minister Smriti Irani stating that the party in question was the ruling Samajwadi Party in UP.
“The University has told (us) that on morning of 9th (May), nearly 30 vehicles associated with a political party of Uttar Pradesh came to declare their support to the students union and threatened the Vice-Chancellor and the University administration. This is what the university has told the Government of India,” she told Rajya Sabha.
Initially, the minister did not name the political party, but when SP member Ram Gopal Yadav said that the Vice-Chancellor had accused the Centre of interfering in the affairs of Allahabad University, Irani said the political party in question is “Samajwadi Party”.
A brief argument between Irani and SP members then followed.
(With additional information from PTI)