Will resign, if asked to go on leave, says BHU vice-chancellor

Banaras Hindu University (BHU) vice-chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi on Thursday said he will “resign” if asked to go on leave while maintaining that the Centre has not asked him to do so as against some reports in the media.

The Union ministry of human resource development has, meanwhile, initiated a routine process to shortlist the successor of Tripathi, who is at the centre of a storm over the handling of the recent violence on the campus of the BHU. His tenure ends on November 30.

“So far, nothing of this sort has been communicated to me. I have been in touch with the HRD minister (Prakash Javadekar) right from the day of the incident and have briefed him about the situation as well as the measures taken. But if am I asked to go on leave, I will resign,” he said.

The vice-chancellor added that he has “contributed a lot” to improve the functioning of the university.

“Having done so much, it will be insulting to go on leave two months before my tenure comes to end. I will prefer quitting,” he asserted.

The ministry officials said the process for appointing his successor has been initiated, but maintained that the timing of violence on the BHU campus and steps for appointment of a new vice-chancellor is completely “coincidental”.

Even if the unrest had not happened, appointment process would have been initiated, a senior HRD official said on the condition of anonymity.

Last week, a number of women students and two journalists were injured in a lathicharge by the police after a protest against an incident of molestation on the campus turned violent. BHU is one of the 43 central universities in the country.

Tripathi had earlier this week said that the violence was fanned by “rumour mongering” and “outsiders”.

The varsity’s chief proctor, ON Singh, has already resigned, taking “moral responsibility” for the campus violence.