We don’t care even if CNLU is shut down says Bihar’s Ex HRD Minister P.K. Sahi

P.K. Sahi, the Ex Education Minister of Bihar and Member of the Executive Council of CNLU while interacting with the students said that they don’t care about the Termination of New Vice Chancellor or Discontinuation of Old Vice Chancellor or even if the University shuts down. Advocate Sahi was also part of the Selection Committee which recommended Bhat’s name for the position of Vice Chancellor.

In a very despotic manner, the ex-minister asked for proofs of corruption against the new Vice Chancellor whereas he already had the information about the removal of Ishwar Bhat from the position of Vice Chancellor of NUJS, Kolkatta due to the pressure created by the students union. The review commission setup by CJI to look into the matters against Bhat is scheduled to submit its report on April 7 according to some sources.

Students of Chanakya National Law University (CNLU) staged a silent protest against the appointment of Ishwara Bhat as the new vice-chancellor for the last three days in the campus.Students staged a protest outside the varsity main administrative building stating that Bhat has a tainted background and his appointment will bring bad name to the university. Bhat was the VC of West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata.

On the recommendations of a search committee, the chancellor of the university, who is also the Chief Justice of Patna High Court, Justice Rajendra Menon, appointed Bhat as the VC of the university. Bhat is yet to resume office as the term of the present VC, A. Lakshminath expires on March 18.

CNLU’s chancellor, Patna high court chief justice Rajendra Menon notified Bhat’s selection to the post three days back, choosing from three recommendations sent to him by a search committee comprising of former NLU Jodhpur VC (retd) Justice NN Mathur, Patna University VC Prof Nitin Karmalkar and senior advocate PK Sahi.. National Judicial Academy assistant director DP Verma and Delhi University professor Dr PK Bhatnagar were the other two recommendations for the Patna job.

A third-year student of CNLU staging the agitation said: “We have come to know that the new VC has a tainted past. Bhat has faced two no-confidence petitions against him by the NUJS student body.” They said students of WBNUJS were against the VC for his alleged charges of financial embezzlement, curbing student liberties, declining quality in faculty and lack of transparency in administrative work.

Echoing the views of the students, a fourth-year student said: “The search committee should have gone through the background of Bhat as his appointment will bring bad name for the varsity.”

CNLU registrar S.P. Singh said: “The committee is probing charges against Bhat. Also, if the charges are proven he should not be appointed. But before the committee report comes out it is unfair to raise allegations against him. Bhat is highly qualified and is serving WBNUJS for two-terms.”

Unlike state universities where a search committee goes through the applications of candidates applying for the VC’s post, at CNLU the search panel invites nominations from reputable persons or institutions in the field of law for the VC’s post.

With Inputs from

1. Telegraph
2. Legally India