JOIN USJnanpith awardee U R Ananthamurthy, who stirred a controversy by openly opposing the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections, does not receive any pay packet as chancellor of the Central University of Karnataka, Gulbarga, but gets office maintenance charges of Rs 15,000 per month.
Ananthamurthy holds an honorary position, to which he was appointed on August 17, 2002, and does not receive any pay packet, said CUK Pro-Vice-Chancellor, M N Sudheendra Rao. But the university provides him Rs 15,000 per month for maintenance of the office of the Chancellor in Bangalore. He is provided with rented car, Rao added.
The travel and dearness allowances are being paid as per the Government of India norms when he attends official work. He is also eligible for First Class AC train and executive class air travel, Rao said.
The BJP made a plaint to the Election Commission of India against Ananthamurthy’s political stance. Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa alleged that Ananthamurthy was receiving Rs one lakh from the CUK.