HAU VC Chowdhury resigns
From Vimal Sumbly
Tribune News Service

HISAR, July 23 — Prof J.B. Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor, of CCS Haryana Agricultural University today resigned from the office. He submitted his resignation to the Board of Management through its secretary, (the Registrar of the university).

Although Prof Chowdhury sought to dispel the notion that he was quitting due to change of government, the timing of the resignation made the reasons apparent. He said, he had wanted to relinquish the post much before and had pleaded with the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, for the same for the past about one month. He claimed, he wanted to serve as Vice-Chancellor for three years only. He completes his three years in office on July 25.

The Vice-Chancellor of HAU is appointed for a four-year term. Of the nine regular Vice-Chancellors, Prof Chowdhury is the seventh, who could not complete his term for one reason or the other. Only the founding Vice-Chancellor Mr A.L. Fletcher and Dr P.S. Lamba completed the full term.

Notwithstanding the arguments put forward by the Vice-Chancellor for his resignation, his quitting the post at a time, when the government changed in Haryana, reflects the sad state of affairs in the academic institutions in the state, due to the direct, political interference into the working of the universities.

Prof Chowdhury admitted that he thought it better to resign, since the person who had appointed him to the post was no longer in power. His predecessor Dr S. Arya was made to quit in an unceremonious way after Mr Bansi Lal took over as Chief Minister. Dr Arya had been appointed during the term of Mr Bhajan Lal.

It has become almost a precedent that whenever a new government takes over, it makes the things difficult for the Vice-Chancellors appointed by the previous regime. The founder Vice-Chancellor of Guru Jambeshwar University Dr K.L. Johar, had to face tough time during Mr Bansi Lal’s regime as he had been appointed by Mr Bhajan Lal. However, he was lucky to complete his term despite a hostile government.

Another example is the treatment meted out to the Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Lt-Gen O.P. Kaushik by the outgoing government. He was divested off his powers by the government. It was only after the high court restored his powers that he could continue in office.

Similarly Vivek Chander Sharma of MDU was made to vacate his position after Bansi Lal government took over. He had been appointed by Mr Bhajan Lal.

Mr Bhajan Lal’s rule was no exception, Brig O.P. Chaudhary of MDU who had been appointed by Mr Om Prakash Chautala, was also made to quit unceremoniously.

Although it was unlikely that Prof Chowdhury would have met the same fate, given his unblemished record during the past three years, he thought it better to make a graceful exit himself. His father-in-law, Dr Swaroop Singh, a former Governor of Gujarat is known for his close proximity with Chief Minister Bansi Lal.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Agricultural University Teachers’ Association has urged the Vice-Chancellor to reconsider his decision in the interest of the university. A spokesman of the university said, members of the executive committee of the association met the Vice-Chancellor and assured him of their support.