Gandhi-founded varsity chooses Gujarat governor with RSS background as chancellor

Devvrat was the former head of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Hariyana, a farmers' wing of RSS

Mahatma Gandhi founded-Gujarat Vidyapith, a deemed university, on Tuesday accepted the resignation of its chancellor, renowned activist and founder of Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Ela Bhatt and chose Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, who comes from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) background, as its next chancellor.

A team of officials from the varsity will be meeting Devvrat to apprise him of varsity's decision to appoint him as next chancellor. Officials said that while the decision to accept Bhatt's resignation on "health ground" was passed unanimously, the resolution to chose Devvrat to replace Bhatt was passed by majority votes. However, Bhatt will formally be relieved from the Vidyapith after its convocation on October 18, the day when Gandhi founded it in Ahmedabad in 1920.

When contacted varisty's registrar Nikhil Bhatt told DH that a statement is being released while a senior trustee and former vice-chancellor Sudarshan Iyenger confirmed to DH about the decisions. Despite repeated attempt vice-chancellor (V-C) Rajendra Khimani didn't respond for comments.

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The development comes at a time when V-C Khimani is facing removal from the post due to his "ineligibility and ongoing inquiry into financial irregularities." On September 21, the Gujarat high court ordered the varsity to take "appropriate" action in eight weeks on University Grants Commission's (UGC) decision to sack Khimani for "financial irregularity", "administrative lapses" as well as not having required eligibility for the post. No decision has been taken yet.

Recently, 90-year-old Ela Bhatt had written a letter to varsity officials asking to relieve her as the chancellor due to her advanced aged. While the varsity was pondering over the new candidates, the crisis deepened further with UGC issuing show cause notice as to why its status as deemed university not be withdrawn on account of several irregularities.

The irregularities include lapses in managing finances including a difference of Rs49.56 lakh between figures of expenditure incurred and utilization certificates submitted against the grant received. Some other allegations are "Improper depiction of assets acquired from government grant in annual accounts due to treating government grants as donation by the office", "The staff paid by the UGC grants has been working for trust functionaries", among others.

The varsity website cites "acceptance of equality of religions" as one of the core values while one of the objectives is "complete tolerance of all established religions in all institutions connected with the Vidyapith. For the spiritual development of the pupils, knowledge of religion shall be imparted in consonance with truth and non-violence."

The website describes that "Gujarat Vidyapith was established as a national university without a government charter." While its founder, Gandhi remained its life-long chancellor, professor A T Gidwani was its founder vice-chancellor. After Gandhi's assassination, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr Rajendra Prasad and Morarji Desai "adorned the post of chancellor of the Vidyapith."

Meanwhile, governor Acharya Devvrat has been associated with RSS. The brief introduction of Devvrat on Raj Bhawan's website states that he is former head of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Hariyana, a farmers' wing of RSS. He has been serving as governor of Gujarat since 2019. He is also known to be a promoter of natural farming.