Don't blame me for non-appointment of Pant Nagar Agricultural University's VC: Aziz Qureshi

DEHRADUN: Taking strong exception to being publicly blamed for the delay in non-appointment of Pant Nagar Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor, Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi today said it was not fair to hold him responsible for this and made it clear that he will not succumb to any kind of pressure exerted on him for making an appointment to the post.

Taking cognisance of some speakers at an agricultural fair held on the varsity campus at Pant Nagar recently blaming him for non-appointment of the VC, Qureshi said the words used by them to criticise him were highly objectionable.

"It has been brought to my notice that some gentlemen who spoke at the fair held me responsible for non-appointment of the VC and criticised me in public in highly objectionable words," the Governor said in a statement here without naming anyone.

Admitting that he has not yet given his nod to any of the panel of names proposed by the Search Committee constituted for the purpose, he said some of the persons whose names have been proposed for the post were trying to grab it through "immoral means".

"This goes against the dignity of the office of the Vice-Chancellor.I want to make it firmly clear that as long as I am the Governor of Uttarakhand, I would succumb under no kind of pressure for appointing a VC of the University," he said.

He also regretted the fact that his advice on the way the Search Committee should be constituted has also not been followed.

"I had advised that a high court judge, ICAR DG or someone nominated by him and an internationally acclaimed agricultural scientist should be on the search committee which would propose a panel of three names for the post of VC but the procedure has not been followed," he said.

He also mentioned that he had given the charge of the VC of the varsity in the past to two former chief secretaries of the state who had an untainted track record of administration.