Chandigarh: Ignoring the orders of Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit, the Punjab government will not remove Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal as the Vice-Chancellor of the Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will send a befitting reply to the Governor over the appointment. The AAP government’s decision not to back down on the appointment of PAU vice-chancellor is likely to accelerate a rift between the chief minister and the governor in the coming days.
On Tuesday, orders were issued to remove Gosal, calling his appointment illegal by the governor. Earlier, after the governor returned the file of the vice-chancellor of Baba Farid Medical University of Health Sciences, the government had decided to send a three-member panel to the governor. Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the Vice-Chancellor of The Punjab Agricultural University, Dr. Gosal’s appointment has been done under a regular legal process so there is no question of replacing him.
He also spoke to the vice-chancellor over phone today and asked him to continue his work. Dhaliwal said that the Punjab government stands completely on the back of the Vice Chancellor. He said that it is easy to be a governor but to become a VC one has to spend life on studies and research.
The minister said the governor should not target universities for politics. He said that the Governor has humiliated the great scientist and insulted Punjabis by writing a letter.
Dr. Gosal’s studies on the agriculture is a big gift to the university. According to sources, the AAP government has made up its mind to take on the Governor sternly and a new political front is likely to open in the future.
Meanwhile, the Board of Management of The Punjab Agricultural University held a meeting on August 19 under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary. It was decided to appoint Satbir Singh Gosal as vice-chancellor. The governor has objected that the appointment of the vice-chancellor has been done in violation of UGC norms and without their approval.