Varsity V-C strikes back

Not a single Lingayat among those recommended for Registrar post

He said that he has “never ever practised casteism in his life”.

Addressing the media on Monday for the first time after the controversy, Prabhu Dev said “I am a follower of Basavanna who asked to treat all human beings as better than the self.”

Recapitulating the episode, the Vice-Chancellor maintained that he had never rejected the appointments of the Registrars. “I only requested them to wait for two days. As a V-C I have a right to know why my panel was not chosen. Don’t I have the powers to at least seek clarification?” he asked.

VC denies reports

Prabhu Dev also denied having told the Registrars that he was awaiting new orders from the Chief Minister. It may be recalled that the two new Registrars went on record saying that the V-C had asked them not to report as he was awaiting orders from the Chief Minister. Meanwhile, the V-C was also quick to dismiss any connections with a circular which arrived from the CM’s secretary asking for the appointments to be withheld.

The V-C also said that there was not a single Lingayat among those he had recommended for the post of Registrar and the only reason for the recommendation was his familiarity of having worked with them. “They helped me in running the day to day affairs of the varsity and it is only natural that I recommend their names,” he said.
 He added that he had not recommended the names of the new Registrars as his interactions with the two were brief.

Further, he gave a factual account of the castes of the 21 appointments since his arrival and said that there were only three Lingayats.

“Sixty percent of the appointments in my tenure have been SCs and 30 percent have been General Merit candidates. How can this be casteist?” he questioned.

Counting examination reforms, admissions via counselling and announcement of results as accomplishments in his 8 month tenure he asked “What is the mistake I have done?” Prabhu Dev also rubbished reports of a prevailing difference of opinion between him and the Higher Education Minister Aravind Limbavali. “The government is supreme and I have to honour the government order. I will seek an appointment the minister to discuss developmental issues concerning the university,” he said.