The Rabindra Bharati University vice-chancellor, who had been staying away from the university since writing to the chief minister on July 18 about his intention to quit following sustained protests by Trinamul student supporters, went to the campus on Tuesday following an intervention from education minister Bratya Basu.
Basu, who went to the Jorasanko campus of the university last week on the occasion of Baishe Shrabon (Tagore’s death anniversary), warned the student leaders against harassing VC Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury any further, said an RBU official. Basu Ray Chaudhury had so far been working from home.
When asked what made him visit the BT Road campus — which houses the VC’s office — again, Basu Ray Chaudhury cited the assurance given by minister Basu during his visit to the Jorasanko campus on August 8.
“He assured me that as long as I remain VC, I would not face any problem.”
The VC was present on the Jorasanko campus that day. Basu Ray Chaudhury, who became VC in 2012 and is currently serving an extended tenure, will continue to helm the university till September 18.
In late June, former governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, in his capacity as chancellor of the university, appointed Mahua Mukherjee, a professor in the department of dance at RBU, as VC in place of Basu Ray Chaudhury, acting on the recommendation of a search committee constituted by the state government.
The chief minister struck down the decision as a bill, making her the chancellor of all state universities, had been passed by the Assembly and asked Basu Ray Chaudhury in early July to continue till September 18.
An RBU official said as the chief minister asked him to continue, the VC wrote to her that a sustained protest that started in June had made his stay difficult beyond July 18.
The Telegraph reported on July 28 that the VC had written to the chief minister that he intended to “tender resignation” following the “deteriorating situation on the campus with the support of a section of students and non-teaching employees, who claim to be active workers of the ruling party”.
An RBU official said minister Basu had on August 8 met leaders of the students’ union and employees’ union in the presence of the VC and told them not to harass him.
“Today the VC did not face any disruption on the campus. No one protested at his office,” the official said.
The agitation by students started in May when the university decided to hold the end-semester examinations offline.
On June 9, the VC was held up in his car on the BT Road campus for over two hours after being gheraoed by students who demanded the resumption of distance learning courses.
On July 18, the day VC wrote to the chief minister, the students gheraoed him once again alleging a lack of books in the library.
