PU senate, syndicate restructuring | AAP, Congress, SAD slam move, say Centre trying to erode Punjab rights
Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang also raised serious concerns, stating the move cannot be termed a reform, rather, a deep-rooted political sabotage.
The Centre’s decision to bring sweeping changes in the Senate and Syndicate of Panjab University (PU) has not gone down well with Punjab’s political parties who are seeing it as an attempt to “erode the state’s rights”.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) termed it a political vendetta against Punjab, with its leader and state education minister Harjot Singh Bains stating, “This reckless move by the Centre tramples on Punjab’s hard-earned autonomy, academic freedom and constitutional rights. It is a blatant assault on the very soul of Punjab. How dare the Centre dismantle a six-decade-old democratic institution?”
He further said, “In the last Senate elections for the Graduate Constituency, people of Punjab elected their own representatives. Now, the BJP-led Centre, which could not win confidence at the ballot box, wants to handpick its favourites and convert the varsity into a political playground.”
The minister said this is a blatant attempt by the Centre to “silence dissent and erode the state’s rights” won’t be tolerated. “The Punjab government will explore all legal and constitutional avenues to protect Punjab’s heritage and its rights,” he said.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang also raised serious concerns, stating the move cannot be termed a reform, rather, a deep-rooted political sabotage.
Don’t play with fire, Congress warns Centre
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, in a statement, said, “Scrapping the Senate and Syndicate and replacing these with nominated members is a crude attempt by the BJP and the RSS to hijack a historic institution of the country and saffronise it.”
Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and MLA Pargat Singh questioned the silence of chief minister Bhawant Mann on the issue. Pargat Singh said, “The CM can release a video message on the controversy surrounding his house but can’t utter a single word on this (PU) issue.”
Chandigarh member of parliament Manish Tewari, in a statement, termed the move ‘patently illegal and a legal travesty’. He said that it is only the Punjab Vidhan Sabha that has the powers to amend the Panjab University Act-1947. “What has to be done directly cannot and should not be done indirectly,” he added.
Yet another attempt to dilute Punjab’s rights: SAD
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, meanwhile, said, “The Centre has been consistently diluting the rights of Punjab be it on the issue of its capital city Chandigarh, river water rights, control over Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) or PU.”
He further condemned the AAP government for remaining silent on the issue.
Meanwhile, SAD leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal shot off a letter to Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, who is the chancellor of the varsity. Appealing to the chancellor to not change the democratic character of the university, she said, “Majority of colleges affiliated with the university are from Punjab. The state also funds 60% of the institution’s budget. The decision is also against the spirit of federalism.”
She further said, “Being an inter-state body, the power to amend the Panjab University Act-1947 is entrusted with the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. However, a central notification under Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act-1966 is being used to amend the University Act.”
