Governor denies making graft charges in VC appointments

Purohit’s clarification came against the backdrop of demands by political leaders and academicians that the Raj Bhavan should come out with details of alleged corruption in the appointment Vice-Chancellors for universities in the State.

“There have been varying reports about the statement concerning the appointment of Vice-Chancellors made by the Governor at the workshop. The verbatim text of the statement made by the governor on the subject is: “I learnt from educationists and others that appointment of Vice-Chancellors was done by exchanging money in crores. I could not believe that. Then I decided that things have to be changed. Till date nine Vice-Chancellors have been selected by me purely on merit”,” a Raj Bhavan statement said.

“From the verbatim text, it should be clear that the governor has not made any allegations against anybody about corruption or money being exchanged”, it said adding, “he has only referred to information provided to him by certain educationists during his interaction with them”.

Stating that it was common knowledge that in 2018 alone, the people of Tamil Nadu witnessed the following incidents with reference to Vice-Chancellors appointed prior to 2018, the Raj Bhavan communique said it includes the “arrest of a Vice-Chancellor by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), raids and registration of cases by DVAC against two Vice-Chancellors and the unseating of a Vice-Chancellor by the High Court of Madras for irregularities in the observance of appointment procedures”.

Claiming that the changes in the system of appointment of Vice-Chancellors have been brought by the Governor following a policy of honesty, transparency and strict adherence to rules, the statement said all the nine Vice-Chancellors appointed in 2018 so far “are persons of high integrity, calibre and have come through the due process”.