State education minister, while introducing the bill, said that there is nothing wrong if the chief minister holds the position of chancellor of state-based universities.
Kolkata: West Bengal assembly has passed a bill on Monday to replace the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to be chancellors of state-run universities. Currently the position is being held by governor of the state. To replace the governor, West Bengal University Laws (Amendment) Bill-2022 was introduced by state education minister Bratya Basu in the assembly and was passed thereafter. The bill, however, was opposed by opposition BJP.
State education minister, while introducing the bill, said that there is nothing wrong if the chief minister holds the position of chancellor of state-based universities. He asked that why chief minister cannot be the chancellor of state varsities if Prime Minister is the chancellor of Visva Bharti, a central university in the state. He said that one can go through the recommendations of the Punchhi Commission.
Basu said that the governor of stateand present chancellor has violated protocols on many occasions. The opposition BJP, while opposing the bill, replacing governor from chief minister as chancellor of state-based varsities would lead to direct “political interference” in the state’s higher education system.
West Bengal assembly passed the bill as 182 legislatures voted in favour while 40 were voted against it. The state assembly has 294 legislators.
Opposing the bill, leader of opposition in state assembly Suvendu Adhikari said that he will meet the governor Jagdeep Dhankar on Monday over the issue and will request to send it to Delhi (for the consideration of the President). He said that Education comes under the concurrent list. I will meet Governor next Monday on the issue. Another BJP legislature said that the state chief minister wants to control everything.
