MP CM Kamal Nath orders probe into Journalism Univ affairs as VC turns it into RSS outfit under Chouhan govt

Chief Minister Kamal Nath has ordered a high-level enquiry into the sordid affairs of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National Journalism University. The enquiry committee is headed by M Gopal Reddy, additional chief secretary, and has Bhupendra Gupta, public relations. officer on special duty in the office of the chief minister, and Sandeep Dixit, former MP from New Delhi, as members.

The Indian Journalist Union and All India Secular Forum had submitted a memorandum to the chief minister demanding an enquiry into the affairs of the university. The memorandum claimed all-round deterioration in the university’s affairs from the very day BK Kuthiala was appointed vice-chancellor. Kuthiala was the blue-eyed boy of some influential RSS leaders. His appointment was questioned because he did not possess the required qualification to occupy the office.

During his nine-year term he converted the university, named after the great freedom fighter and poet, into an RSS institution. All its activities have been dictated by RSS ideology. He appointed many such persons as teachers who themselves were RSS loyalists or who were recommended by the RSS leadership. The curriculum of the university was changed to conform to the RSS ideology. The VC did not hesitate to remove lessons related to Jawaharlal Nehru. Most of the appointments were made while ignoring norms listed in the university calendar.

The memorandum recalled that the IJU and Secular Forum had raised their voice against the irregularities being committed in the university. Besides holding a press conference, they also approached the then Vice-President Hamid Ansari, who happens to be the ex-officio visitor of the university. A delegation met him in Delhi. The Vice President gave a patient hearing and promised to do the needful. But he simply forwarded their memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor for action.

Before that a memorandum was also submitted to then Press Council Chairman Justice (retired) Markandey Katju. He also did nothing to improve the affairs of the university.

The enquiry committee constituted by the state government has been asked to submit its report within 15 days. The terms of the enquiry includes looking into all the appointments made after 2003, and enquiring whether these appointments were as per norms or not, as well as studying the changes made in the curriculum to suit a particular ideology and finding out how the norms of the University Grants Commission were ignored to benefit persons of one particular organisation. The committee will also examine the setting up of teaching centers remote areas just to oblige politically influential persons.

It may be mentioned here that the chief minister is the chairman of the Maha Parishad of the University. But Shivraj Singh Chouhan as chief minister played the role of a mute spectator of the dirty affairs of the university.

Kudiyala in order to please ministers and other BJP leaders established centres of the university at such places that did not fulfill the criteria. It was nothing but a waste of university funds. At some places buildings were taken on rent at higher than prevailing rates. It is alleged that most of these buildings are owned by RSS and BJP leaders.