Now, Guv on warpath with Congress govt

In yet another episode that signals the growing divide between the Raj Bhavan and the State government, Governor H R Bhardwaj has lashed out at the government for questioning his decision to extend Dr H Maheshappa’s term as the vice-chancellor of Visvesvaraya Technology University by another year.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 48th convocation of the Bangalore University on Thursday, the Governor went all out against the members who raised the issue in the Legislative Council on Wednesday.

“They should know the rules. They cannot speak about the head of the state in such a manner on the floor of the House. If they have any complaint, they should speak to me directly,” said an agitated Bhardwaj. 

Blaming the government for the delay in the appointment of the vice chancellor of VTU, the Governor said it would have made matters easier, if it had acted promptly.
“It is the government that delayed the appointments for the search committee. I alerted them about this, after which they chose Professor Balaram as their nominee.
The entire process would have been completed had their nominee turned up at the search committee meeting. I used my power to extend Maheshappa's term,” said the Governor.

Bhardwaj, however, gave the government the option to constitute a new search committee.

Maheshappa has been dogged by one controversy after another, the most prominent being the issue of submitting fake academic credentials to get appointed as the VC of VTU. In 2009, when Bhardwaj was appointed the Governor, he had formed a one-man committee to look into the allegations against Maheshappa. The findings, however, have not been made public.

“The University of Mysore has clarified that there is nothing wrong with the marks card of Maheshappa,” said the Governor.

Amendment bill

On the contentious issue of the Karnataka State Universities Amendment Bill, that aims at giving the State government greater power in the functioning of universities, the Governor said he will never let it happen.
  
“Efforts to take away the authority and the power of the chancellor and the universities by the government will not be allowed. The State has to follow what the UGC says on the issue. It is the chancellor who has to appoint the VC and not the government,” he said.