Kolkata: The West Bengal assembly has passed a bill on Monday that will make the chief minister the chancellor of 17 state-run universities instead of the governor, despite opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A total of 182 parliamentarians voted in favor of the bill, with 40 voting against it.
On May 26, in the cabinet meeting, it was decided that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will replace Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as Chancellor in all state-run universities.
Addressing the media at the state secretariat Nabanna, state education minister Bratya Basu was heard saying that soon a bill will be introduced at the Assembly for necessary act amendment.
According to state government sources, if the Governor doesn’t affirm the bill then the administration ‘will take the ordinance route’.
Educationist Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri said that such a step has to be taken as Dhankhar often ‘keeps several bills on hold’.
TMC secretary-general Partha Chattopadhyay on Monday said that a total of six will be introduced in the Assembly Monsoon Session.
Slamming the move, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the education system has gone for a ’toss’ in Bengal.
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