Kannur Varsity Row: Higher Education Minister Has No Authority To Write To Me, Says Kerala Governor
NDTV
"...I am not able to work in this environment where I find too much political interference in the working of the university and the autonomy of the university is being completely eroded," the governor said
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed has asserted that state Higher Education Minister R Bindu has no authority to write to him seeking service extension of Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University, Gopinath Raveendran.
Addressing the media at the airport here on Friday night, he reiterated that there was politics involved in the selection of Vice Chancellors in the state universities. He also affirmed that there was no change in his decision to step down from the post of Chancellor.
"...I am not able to work in this environment where I find too much political interference in the working of the university and the autonomy of the university is being completely eroded. Conflict comes when you assert your authority against some other authority. I have requested that you bring an ordinance, you become the chancellor, let anybody become the chancellor, but for me it is not possible to see this kind of political interference... I have already said it," Khan said.
Slamming Bindhu over her letter on VC reappointment, he said, "The Minister does not have any authority to write to the Governor. Only the search committee has the authority to select the Vice Chancellor. It's not my job to reply to the minister."
