The executive head of a central government-funded apex body of universities has taken over as president of an RSS-linked organisation, opening the door to charges of a blurring of the boundaries between arms of the government and the Sangh.

Pankaj Mittal, new president of the Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, is expected to continue as secretary-general of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), a likelihood that puts a strain on the academic body’s by-laws.

Set up in 1925, the AIU has all the universities and other higher-education institutions in India as its members. It is the nodal agency for the grant of equivalence to degrees acquired by Indians from foreign universities.

The Nyas is a self-appointed adviser to the government on curriculum reforms. Its past president Dinanath Batra has been a staunch RSS ideologue. Its national secretary Atul Kothari is an RSS pracharak.

One of the proposals from the Nyas to the government has been to introduce “Vedic mathematics” in schools.

An AIU by-law says the secretary-general can be removed if he or she “is a member of or be otherwise associated with any political party or any organisation which takes part in politics or is taking part in it or subscribing in aid of any political movement or activity”.

While the RSS and the Nyas are officially non-political organisations, the Sangh’s advocacy of a Hindu nationalist agenda is widely seen as the championing of a political cause.

Another by-law says: “The tenure of the office of the Secretary General shall be 5 years in the first instance but he/ she shall be eligible for reappointment for another term of 5 years.”

“Reappointment” entails the outgoing secretary-general competing with other candidates. However, the AIU’s general council recently approved a proposal to give a five-year “extension” — a step not provided in the by-laws — to Mittal whose term expires in June. Next month’s annual general meeting is expected to approve the move, given that the AIU has not yet started the selection process for a successor.

Celebrated sociologist Andre Beteille expressed apprehensions about the development.

“The executive head of a (government-funded) institution taking over charge of an RSS-supported body is a cause for worry. I hope this is not a general phenomenon,” he said.

Emails were sent to Mittal seeking her perspectives on taking over as president of an RSS-linked organisation and on seeking an extension rather than reappointment for another term at the AIU. She sent a text message promising to respond. Her response is awaited.

Kothari, asked why the AIU’s executive head was appointed Nyas president, said the Nyas was not involved in political activities.

“Your agenda is to defame the RSS and the SSUN (Nyas). Any citizen can take over any responsibility. The RSS is not a political organisation. The SSUN is not involved in any political activities,” Kothari said.

Repeated calls and messages to AIU president G.D. Sharma, seeking the reasons why the general council approved the proposal for an extension to Mittal, failed to evoke
any comments.