ABVP demands Pondicherry University VC's resignation

PUDUCHERRY: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has demanded the resignation of Pondicherry University vice-chancellor Gurmeet Singh accusing him of looting the public exchequer and obstructing justice in the UGC human resource development centre (HRDC) scam in the university.

In a joint statement, ABVP president Murali Prasath and secretary Arpit Godbole urged the authorities concerned to stop the benefits granted to former director S Hariharan by the vice-chancellor and to remove the committee members appointed by vice-chancellor from any statutory position in the university.

Hariharan has been accused of misappropriating funds to the tune of Rs 2.25 crore when he served as a HRDC director between 2008 and 2016 while Singh and finance officer in-charge D Lazar and others were accused of attempting to protect Hariharan.

ABVP's demand came after the Madras high court ordered a CBI probe into the misappropriation of funds in HRDC in the university. "The court observed prima facie evidence of misappropriation of funds, violation of norms, and abuse of power by the VC and other officials involved in the scam,” the statement said.

The ABVP alleged that Hariharan was a close associate of the VC and had received undue benefits from him, such as a token Rs 50 lakh grant for retirement benefits. The students' forum demanded that Singh resign immediately and face legal action. It also demanded that Hariharan be stripped of his benefits and privileges.

Similarly, P Natarajan, department of commerce, and professor B B Mohanty, department of sociology, who were appointed as members of committee, which gave a clean chit to Hariharan, should not be appointed to any statutory position or to continue in that position, it said.

Meanwhile, the Puducherry BJP unit has urged the Union government to order an inquiry and initiate action against Singh if he is found guilty. Puducherry BJP president V Saminathan has written to the Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in this regard.