TMC students' wing locks Rabindra Bharati University officiating VC's chamber, demands his removal

Kolkata: Members of the Trinamool Congress students' wing locked the chamber of Rabindra Bharati University's officiating vice-chancellor Shubhra Kamal Mukherjee on Tuesday, alleging that he has been taking certain policy decisions which are beyond his powers.

Mukherjee was not in his office on the Jorasanko campus when around 50 members of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) staged a sit-in outside his room and locked on the door.

When contacted by PTI, Mukherjee described the situation as "extremely unfortunate".

A day ago, the TMCP members prevented the officiating VC from entering the chamber and shouted slogans demanding his removal immediately.

The protests were held days after Mukherjee convened a meeting of the executive council, the highest decision-making body of the higher educational institution, and decided certain important administrative, and academic decisions.

A TMCP leader claimed, "The VC is exceeding his brief as he is not authorised to take policy decisions and convene EC meetings. Only a full-time VC can do so." As a mark of protest, Mukherjee will not be allowed to enter the VC's office till he is removed from the post, another TMCP member said.

The state-run varsity has been plagued by administrative issues for over one and a half years.

Governor C V Ananda Bose, the chancellor of the state universities, had appointed Mukherjee, former Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, as the interim VC in 2023.

He has been discharging responsibilities ever since.

Mukherjee said, " This is an extremely unfortunate situation. They are preventing me from entering the place associated with the memory of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. Isn't this shocking for a Tagore lover? How can they do this?" He claimed that the students were young, but they were aided by a section of non-teaching employees and apparently being instigated by "some other forces".

To a question, Mukherjee said, "I will not go to the campus in the present situation." Asked if he had informed the chancellor, the officiating VC said, "I have apprised the appropriate authorities of the present situation on the campus."