TMC students' wing gheraos Calcutta University's vice-chancellor for over nine hours

TMCP spokesperson Abhirup Chakraborty said VC Shanta Dutta's term was for six months, and she was holding onto the post in an unauthorised manner, discharging administrative responsibilities.

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress's students' wing TMCP gheraoed interim vice-chancellor of Calcutta University Shanta Dutta for over nine hours, claiming that she chaired a meeting of the varsity's highest decision-making body, the syndicate, even as her term has ended.

The gherao began at 3 pm on Friday and continued till midnight, TMCP spokesperson Abhirup Chakraborty said.

"Since our semester exams will begin a day later, and considering Dutta's age and health issues, we did not continue the gherao indefinitely. However, students will never allow the authority to convene a syndicate meeting with Dutta at the helm. We term this as illegal," he said.

Chakraborty said Dutta's term was for six months, and she was holding onto the post in an unauthorised manner, discharging administrative responsibilities.

He said the Supreme Court has directed the formation of a search committee to appoint permanent VCs for CU and 30 other state-run varsities.

The varsity authorities refused to comment on the claims made by the TMCP about the syndicate meeting.

Dutta was appointed by Governor CV Ananda Bose, with the TMC government's Higher Education Department stating that it was not consulted.