Inquiry committee summons Saurashtra University V-C

Governor and Chancellor Dr Kamla Beniwal had appointed a one-member committee of retired High Court judge Vinu Bhairaiya a month ago after Joshipura did not terminate services of Jani despite her order to this effect.

The Governor’s order had come after a three-member inquiry committee,formed by her following complaints from Congress leaders,found Jani unqualified for the post. But Joshipura did not comply with the order after which Beniwal issued a showcause notice to him on March 22 asking why an inquiry should not be ordered against him.

Joshipura was asked to reply to the notice by April 15. After not getting any reply by the specified date,the Governor formed the one-member committed on April 16.

In the showcasue notice,the Governor had severely criticised Joshipura by saying he showed “disrespect” to the instructions issued to him “by questioning my powers and has thus invariably failed in performing his duties as laid down in Section 11(3) of Saurashtra University Act”.

It further said that Joshipura “misguided” the SU Syndicate by putting the entire matter on vote during a meeting on February 8. And by majority of votes,he managed to “resolve to discard the directions of the Chancellor reiterating the view that no irregularities were committed in appointment of Jani”.

The Chancellor further noted that instead of faithfully complying with her directives,Joshipura “showed resistance and willful disobedience in execution of the directives for reasons best known to him”.

This is for the first time that an inquiry committee has been formed against a V-C in the state. And,sources in the BJP said that efforts were on in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar to prove the inquiry committee¿s report invalid to save Joshipura as well as the party from a major embarrassment.

Earlier,SU Syndicate,where the BJP enjoys majority,had rejected the Governor’s order to terminate Jani’s services on the ground that the showcause was not served as per the university rules.