Bill removing Governor as varsity Chancellor gets Punjab House clearance
Chandigarh, June 20
The Vidhan Sabha today unanimously passed the Punjab University Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, vesting the powers of the Chancellor of state universities with the Chief Minister.
Summarising the debate on the floor of the House, the Chief Minister said the state had its own rich culture, traditions and heritage which need to be perpetuated among the younger generations. For this, the educational institutions, especially the universities, could play a vital role. Mann recalled how the universities had produced great intellectuals, artists and other eminent people in various fields.
CM to be authority
The House has passed the Bill which will entrust the powers of the Chancellor of universities with the Chief Minister. With the passage of the Bill, the Chief Minister, not the Governor, will be the Chancellor.
The Chief Minister said to carry forward the legacy, men of high integrity, prudence and repute need to be appointed in the universities as Vice-Chancellors. However, he bemoaned that the Governor, who is not from the state and not aware of its history and culture, created unnecessary hurdles in it. Mann said it was surprising that the Governor knew nothing about the state, but was empowered to appoint the Vice-Chancellors, which was unfair.
Mann has insulted Ambedkar: chugh
New Delhi: Tarun Chugh, BJP general secretary, has said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had undermined the constitutional principles and brought shame on BR Ambedkar by passing the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill and removing Governor Banwarilal Purohit from the position of Vice-Chancellor of all 11 state universities. TNS
The Chief Minister said contrary to securing the interests of the state, the Governor was often seen on the other side. Citing the issue of Panjab University, Chandigarh, he said instead of safeguarding the interests of Punjab and Punjabis, the Governor was taking the stand in favour of Haryana to allow its entry in the Senate of the university. This was a very strange situation as the Governor, just to appease his political masters sitting in Delhi, was playing all these gimmicks.
The Chief Minister said it was brazen disrespect of the verdict of people that had elected the government to work for their well-being.
He said on the lines of the Bill already passed by West Bengal, the government had formulated the Bill which would entrust the powers of the Chancellor of the universities with the Chief Minister. Mann said with the passage of this Act, the Chief Minister, not the Governor, would be the Chancellor.
He said no interference of the Governor was required in the day-to-day functioning of the affairs of the state. The government was committed to securing the interests of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat, adding that no stone would be left unturned for this noble cause. Mann said the government would take every step to restore the pristine glory of the state.
