Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar slams Education dept, but adds all well with CM Nitish

Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar on Tuesday voiced displeasure over the authority at his command as Chancellor of state's universities being undermined by the Education department.

Arlekar made the remarks to the effect at a function organized here to mark Teachers' Day where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was also present.

"The chief minister had a little while ago requested me to consider giving an extension to a vice-chancellor. I, too, believe he deserves it. But how can things run smoothly if the education department adopts a confrontational stance", asked the governor.

The comments came in the backdrop of the Raj Bhavan last month taking strong exception to the department's order to withhold the salary of a vice chancellor, whose university premises were inspected and found to be unsatisfactory by the additional chief secretary of the education department.

The department had dug in its heels, retaliating with a letter in response to the Raj Bhavan's communication, which clearly left the governor displeased.

"A secretary of the education department asks us what is our worth (aapki aukaat Kya hai). I wonder at whose instance he has the audacity to do so", said the governor, without taking the name of K K Pathak, the IAS officer who heads the department.

Notably, the spat between the department and the Raj Bhavan had hogged much limelight, and the situation was salvaged only after the chief minister met the Governor.

Arlekar acknowledged the conciliatory gesture of Kumar in his speech, saying "There is no tension between the chief minister and me. Both of us can sit together and talk, and find out a solution to all the problems".

"It is not a cause for worry (chinta). There may be different opinions. (But) We should strive for coordination (samanvay) and avoid squabbling (sangharsh)', added the governor, at the function held inside Patna University premises.