It all began after the official note on the day’s Senate meeting released to the media by the university. It read, “Efforts of outgoing Chancellor of PU Mohammad Hamid Ansari were appreciated and also expressed gratitude to outgoing Chancellor for giving all support to the university to grow as an institute of knowledge.”
Soon after, Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover came under criticism for not making an official comment of felicitation for the former Chancellor of the university. This happened at the first Senate meeting after Vice-President Hamid Ansari’s tenure ended last month.
GROVER VS ANSARI?
Grover allegedly had avoided mentioning Ansari’s name even during the last month’s Syndicate meeting. After this seven Senate members had specially written to the Vice-Chancellor and requested him to make an official statement. Grover later, however, reported to have attributed the expression of gratitude in the meeting with Senators.
SENATORS UNHAPPY WITH GROVER
Senator Rabinder Nath Sharma put in a note of dissent. Nath said that statement should have directly come from the official chair instead of being quoted on behalf of the senators.
“Ansari was Chancellor of the university for past 10 years and I felt it was quite unfair that the university’s Vice-Chancellor did not make an official statement acknowledging his contribution towards the university,” Nath told Chandigarh Newsline.
WHAT SENATORS WROTE TO GROVER
The seven senators in their email to Grover said, “I hope that in tomorrow’s Senate meeting, apart from welcoming new Chancellor of the University, we shall be appreciating our outgoing Chancellor as well. Since Senate agenda is not clear about it and in Syndicate meeting of 25th August, felicitation has been extended to new Chancellor without simultaneously recording appreciation of outgoing Chancellor.”
