Bengal Turf War Intensifies, Trinamool Govt Curtails Bengal Governor-Varsity Communications

The West Bengal government on Tuesday tabled in the Assembly a new rule to check direct communications between the chancellor and the state universities, which will henceforth be routed through the higher education department. The governor is the chancellor of all the state-run universities. The rule came in the wake of continued acrimonious relation between Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and the Trinamool Congress government on various issues including his recent visits to the Calcutta University and Jadavpur University to attend their Syndicate and Court meetings respectively.

The new rule stipulates "Every communication proposed to be made by the Chancellor to any State-aided University shall be routed through the (higher education) department." It will also allow vice-chancellors to call meetings of their highest decision making bodies in consultation with the higher education department, and not the chancellor as is the practice.

Higher Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, however, told reporters that the new rule will in no way infringe on the right of the chancellor as the prerogative of taking any decision related to university rests with the department. The TMC had in the recent past accused Dhankhar of running a parallel government in the state.