By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 10: NEHU Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla has now been accused of interfering with the smooth functioning of the university.
The NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) on Friday alleged that Prof Shukla has been abusing his powers so that several official functions are interrupted and impeded.
“Needless to say it is much beyond propriety on his part when he is absent and the university community is putting ongoing pressure on the authorities for his removal. Despite being on leave on the advice of the authorities, he is repeatedly interfering in the normal functioning of the university so that his dictatorial motive is imposed on every function, duty, and power of the VC who is performing all these duties as prescribed by the statutes of the university,” NEHUTA vice president, Prasenjit Biswas said.
He pointed out that Prof Shukla, advised to go on leave by authorities, has been reportedly representing the university in some official meetings, which is a case of gross impropriety and violation of the University Act and Statute.
According to him, a VC on leave is not entitled to represent the university as per the laws of the university.
“Therefore, he (Prof Shukla) is attempting to overstep the Act and statutes and violating norms of functioning,” Biswas said.
Strongly condemning such unwarranted interference by Prof Shukla, he said that instances of repeated interference by the VC show how much he is perturbed by the ongoing movement demanding his removal.
“It also goes on to show that Prof Shukla thinks that his ego is bigger than the university,” he said.
Biswas said mismanagement of every kind and appointments of unqualified and unfit people in key posts – dubbed by the associations as anti-tribal, anti-local, and against the rules – by the VC plunged the university into chaos and damaged its reputation and credibility.
“He continues to sabotage the crucial functioning of NEHU without any accountability for its deleterious consequences,” he added.
Biswas said the NEHUTA sees a pattern in his desperate attempts to damage the university from outside.
“These vindictive sabotaging acts of Prof Shukla shall make him more and more answerable as he is facing inquiry and all his misdeeds are now under the scanner,” he said.
Prof Shukla has been on leave since November 17.