Cong opposes Uttarakhand State Universities Bill

Dehra Dun, May 28 (UNI) Toughening its stand against the passage of the Uttarakhand State Universities Bill, the Opposition Congress today said it would vehemently oppose any move by the state government to wrest the autonomy of higher academic insitutions.

Talking to mediapersons here, former Congress minister Indira Hridesh and Leader of the Opposition Harak Singh Rawat said the Congress had never compromised on the state's education policies and would not ''rest'' until the bill was scrapped.

Ms Hridesh said the government should learn a lesson from the Uttar Pradesh government which was forced to withdraw a similar bill after a strong opposition by teachers and students.

''The controversial bill will destroy the framework of ducation'', she said adding that Chief Minister B C Khanduri should ''think over'' it.

''If passed, the bill will corrupt the higher education system and our future generations will never forgive us for such a mistake,'' she added.

She also appealed teachers and students to continue their agitation against the bill until the state government understood its ramifications.

Mr Rawat said the bill only sought to wrest the autonomy of the universities by allowing vice-chancellors to be appointed by the government instead of the governor, who is also the ex-officio Chancellor.

''This would allow successive governments to appoint inelligible and undeserving vice-chancellors'', he said adding that it would hamper the academic learning of students.

He said the Congress and the NSUI would organise a protest rally against the bill on June 5 in all districts and tehsils of the state and on June 7, they would 'gherao' the Chief Minister's residence.

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