Visva-Bharti row: Pranab Mukherjee again questions HRD on V-C removal

This is the second time Mukherjee’s office has questioned the legality of the ministry’s recommendation in the matter. It had first returned the Visva-Bharati file in September asking the ministry to seek legal opinion. The proposal was then vetted and approved by the law ministry and Attorney General of India. When contacted by The Indian Express, President’s Press Secretary Venu Rajamony declined to comment. HRD Minister Smriti Irani was unavailable for comment.

Dattagupta was appointed by the UPA government in 2011 and still has nearly a year left in his term. The HRD ministry wants him removed over allegations of impropriety. He has been accused of making illegal appointments, drawing pension from Jawaharlal Nehru University along with his salary from Visva-Bharati without getting it deducted from his pay, and getting his liquor bills reimbursed by the varsity.

Dattagupta, however, had challenged the legality of the fact-finding committee instituted by the government. After his plea was shot down by the Calcutta High Court, he had e-mailed his resignation to Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 30. The V-C’s fate has been uncertain ever since, reportedly because of a silent tussle between the ministry and Rashtrapati Bhavan on the issue.

While Rashtrapati Bhavan wants Irani’s ministry to accept the resignation and has informally conveyed its unwillingness to sack him, the government isn’t keen on doing so as this would absolve Dattagupta of all the allegations.

Meanwhile, Dattagupta rejoined office this month.