BSE revival efforts amusing, says VC
A delegation of the Syndicate and Academic Council to meet Jindal
The Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University (BU) has described as “amusing” the attempts of a few Syndicate members to convince the Jindal Group to reconsider its decision to withdraw the Rs 100-crore grant to the proposed Bangalore School of Economics (BSE).
The V-C, N Prabhu Dev, said on Friday that it was “ironical” that a few members of the Syndicate first killed the ambitious project on the lines of the famed London School of Economics (LSE). Then, some other members of the same group want to go to Sitaram Jindal, the Chairman and Managing Director of Jindal Aluminium, to revive the project.
“It reminds me of the proverb of a cat eating a rat and then going on a pilgrimage,” Prabhu Dev said, stressing that as far as he was concerned, the BSE was a closed chapter.
The V-C took umbrage at the allegation levelled by a senior member of the Syndicate that the proposed institute was meant to be a rehabilitation centre for him. “No sir, I do not require a rehabilitation centre. I have been insulted and humiliated. I am hurt. I have read media reports that I am in two minds about revival of the project. No sir, not me again,” Prabhu Dev said.
He wished all the best to the members of the Syndicate and the Academic Council who were on the revival bid.
Prabhu Dev also requested Jindal to identify an “able, intelligent, and passionate person,” among the group that includes the new Registrar (Administration), B C Mylarappa, to facilitate smooth revival of the project.
Unilateral decision
He also took exception to the charge that he took unilateral decisions on the BSE project, keeping the Academic Council and the Syndicate in the dark.
He said that the matter was placed before the Academic Council on May 3, 2011 and unanimously approved after a detailed discussion. The Syndicate had unanimously approved the constitution of the study group and its terms of reference on July 7, 2011.
In a separate briefing, seven members of the Syndicate claimed that the BSE proposal had not been placed before the body till date. They said that a delegation of the Syndicate and the Academic Council had sought an appointment with Jindal.
“The Syndicate is willing to support the project wholeheartedly and to deliberate on the issue with all the concerned authorities in the varsity,” the statement read.
