President returns HRD file with names for AMU panel

New Delhi, March 5

Seeking more choices, President Pranab Mukherjee's office has returned to the HRD Ministry a file recommending nomination to a vacant seat in the Executive Council of Aligarh Muslim University.

Earlier, the names of senior TV journalist Rajat Sharma and eminent scientist Vijay P Bhatkar, who is also the national president of RSS-linked Vijnana Bharati, had been returned by the President.

Three of the 28 members on the AMU Executive Council are recommended by the ministry, for which the President's approval is necessary as he is the Visitor of the institution.

This is not for the first time that the President has taken a view different from that of the Smriti Irani headed HRD Ministry.

It is learnt that the President had ignored the HRD Ministry's recommendation while choosing M Jagadeesh as JNU Vice-Chancellor.

There have also been reports that in the matter related to former Visva Bharati V-C Sushanta Dattagupta, who was eventually sacked, the President's office and HRD ministry had certain differences. PTI