Governor Ram Naik stops university degree for CM Akhilesh Yadav

Naik, whose position makes him chancellor of state universities, cited a recent refusal by Akhilesh to accept a similar degree from Uttar Pradesh Technical University, and advised Chandra Shekhar Azad University to consider giving degrees to those “who deserve them and at the same time are ready to accept them”.

The university, which had proposed the names to the governor ahead of a convocation next week, has since replaced Akhilesh with S Ayyappan, director general of Indian Council for Agricultural Research. The governor and President Pranab Mukherjee will attend the event.

Asked about it, Naik said he needs to be strict and guide universities about what is right and what is wrong. “The university had sent me seven names including the chief minister’s. I told them degrees should not be given away like prasaad. This lowers not only the value of the degree but also the dignity of the chief minister, who has already refused such a degree in the recent past,” Naik told The Indian Express. “In my role as governor, I need to be strict sometimes. As chancellor, it is my duty to guide them about right and wrong.”

Last September, however, Naik had approved an honoris causa D Litt to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, and presented it himself at Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University. “I am not prejudiced,” Naik said, citing Mulayam’s degree as an example. “I believe he is a true statesman. It is not easy being elected MLA eight times and MP six times, being chief minister three times and even being defence minister of the country. Not many have such qualifications, so I approved the proposal.”

P N Yadav, registrar of Chandra Shekhar Azad University, said they have finalised Ayyappa as recipient but refused to discuss the matter further.