Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Bengaluru: Reacting sharply to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s remarks about the delay in the appointment of a vice-chancellor (VC) for the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) university in Gadag, RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday asked him to follow the directions of the Supreme Court on his role and functioning.
Priyank’s remarks came a day after the Governor’s letter to the chief minister, in which he set a month’s deadline to appoint a vice-chancellor for the university, failing which he (Governor) would initiate the process.
Speaking to reporters Priyank questioned as to why the Governor was not respecting the clearance of the RDPR university bill in the two Houses of the legislature.
The bill seeks to have the chief minister as the chancellor of the university in place of the Governor and gives him the power to appoint the vice-chancellor.
“If the Governor decides everything, why should we legislators be here for? If he does not like what we
are doing, I can’t help,” he said.
‘Let him govern state’
Losing his cool, the minister said the Governor could instead ‘recommend for the dissolution of the Assembly and happily govern the state under President’s rule’.
The minister said the state had not brought any new law and this bill had followed the same process like the one in the universities in Baroda (Gujarat), Uttar Pradesh the and national law school.
“Let him give us a free hand, we will show reforms. The Assembly and Council have passed the bill after discussion. If there are any clarifications to be given, we will do so. We will try to convince him. Let us see,” Kharge said.