AASU cautions govt against non-grant of financial aid to GU

Guwahati, Oct 5 (UNI) The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) today cautioned the state government against searching for 'escape routes' from its commitment of sanctioning Rs 25 crore to Gauhati University (GU) by December 31.

Talking to reporters here, AASU advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya said, '' The chief minister had himself announced the grant and the state government had agreed to sanction it latest by this year end. It should not try to find escape routes now by dragging in issues like financial year.'' He was reacting to a comment by state government spokesperson Himanta Biswa Sharma yesterday that financial year ends in March, though he had not referred directly to the matter whether the financial grant to GU could get delayed again.

The state government, in a GU Executive Committee (EC) meeting convened by the state Governor, who also happens to be the Chancellor of GU, had committed to sanction Rs 25 crore by this year end for various developmental activities of the university.

GU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Amarjyoti Choudhury had withdrawn his resignation at the same meeting following assurance of all financial cooperation from the government.

The AASU leader said, '' If the government goes back on its assurance, we will not tolerate it.'' Pointing out that the chief minister had announced similar financial help for the two other state-run universities, Dibrugarh University (DU) and Assam Agriculture University (AAU), along with GU, Dr Bhattachrayya said, '' The government should release funds for these two varsities also.'' He questioned if the government was waiting for the VCs of these two universities to also take a drastic step as resignation, as the GU VC was compelled to do, for granting the money.

He said AASU was not politicizing the GU VC's resignation matter and would not allow any individual or organisation to take the issue out of its context. ''The VC had to resign due to the government's non-fulfillment of financial commitments and we will not let anyone divert attention from it,'' Dr Bhattacharyya added.

UNI