Alagh committee begins probe into obscene row in MSU amidst protest

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Vadodara, July 16 (UNI) A majority of Syndicate members of the M S University here today challenged Gujarat Governor N K Sharma's authority to set up a fact-finding committee, led by Dr Y K Alagh, to probe the obscene row in the Fine Arts faculty of the university.

Describing the governor's action as politically motivated, the syndicate members submitted a memorandum to university Chancellor Mrunalinidevi Puar to claim that the Governor, who is just a Visitor to the university, had no authority to constitute a panel of his own to probe the issue without an approval of the Syndicate.

''As per statute seven of the handbook of the university, it is only the Vice-Chancellor who has the authority to set up any committee to look into the affairs of the university,'' senior Syndicate member Dr Pragnesh Shah said.

Out of 22 members in the syndicate, 15 attended today's meeting which reportedly decided to move the court of law against the Governor's ''illegal'' action as ''it is a calculated move to tarnish the image of the university.'' At the meeting, it was also decided to go by the earlier committee, constituted by Vice-Chancellor Prof Manoj Soni, to probe the entire issue.

Meanwhile, the three-member committee, comprising IRMA chairman Dr Y K Alagh, Gujarat Vidyapeeth vice-chancellor Sudarshan Iyengar and well-known painter H Shah, today began its probe by meeting the faculty members and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof S M Joshi.

Stating that Faculty of Fine Arts at M S University had global reputation, Dr Alagh said they would do their best to improve its prestige through their report and recommendations to be submitted to the Governor in three weeks time.

As per the terms of reference, the committee would discuss major issues like university's autonomy, its freedom and obscenity, Dr Alagh said.

After receiving several representations from different quarters, the Governor set up the three-member committee to probe the issues on July 13, as the agitation by students of the faculty continued for two months.

The students were demanding that the authority of the university should take action against BJP leader Niraj Jain for disrupting their painting exhibition on May 9 in the name of obscenity and revoke suspension of the in-charge faculty Dean Prof Shivaji Panikkar, who reportedly fought for the cause of the students.

UNI

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