West Bengal govt to move bill to replace guv with CM as chancellor of state varsities
Kolkata, May 26: The West Bengal cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to replace the governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of state-run universities.
State Education minister Bratya Basu, while addressing a press conference post a cabinet meeting, said the proposal would soon be introduced in the state assembly in the form of a bill.
Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who has shared an acrimonious relationship with the state government since assuming charge in Bengal, is yet to react to the development.
"Today, the state cabinet gave its consent to the proposal to make the chief minister the chancellor of all state-run universities, in the place of the governor. This proposal will soon be introduced as a bill in the Assembly, and then be made a law," Basu said.
The governor, by virtue of his position, is the chancellor of all state-run universities in the state.
Dhankhar had recently locked horns with and the state government over appointment of vice-chancellors (VCs) of state-run varsities amid other issues.
He had alleged that vice-chancellors of "24 universities have been appointed illegally without the chancellor's approval".
In December last year, the governor had expressed anguish after chancellors and vice-chancellors of private universities skipped a meeting called by him at his official residence. They had expressed inability to attend the meeting citing the COVID-19 situation.
Dhankhar had faced a similar situation in January 2020 when vice-chancellors of state-run universities were invited for a meeting.
Basu had last year said that it was time to introspect whether there was a "need to continue with the colonial legacy" of getting the governor to hold the post of chancellor.
Meanwhile, condemning the cabinet move, BJP national secretary Anupam Hazra claimed that 14th-century Delhi Sultan Muhammad Bin Tuglaq often referred to as a tyrant king "would have felt insecure, had he witnessed the state of affairs in Bengal".
"Today, the state cabinet decided that the chief minister will be the chancellor of state-run universities. Next, it might also decide that the chief minister should be addressed as the prime minister of the state," BJP national secretary Anupam Hazra said.
CPI (M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty, too, slammed the decision as a "reflection of an authoritarian mindset" that seeks to control every lever of power.
The decision evoked mixed response from the educationists, with some describing the move as an infringement on the autonomy of the educational institutions, while others stating that it would help foster better coordination between varsity heads and the government.
Amal Mukhopadhyay, the former principal of Presidency College (before it became a university), said the decision was "uncalled for" and would only "result in erosion of autonomous status of a higher educational institution".
"Effort to make her the chancellor is nothing but a political step. This may only vitiate the academic atmosphere in the institutions," Mukhopadhyay said.
Educationist Pabitra Sarkar said the governor had been shouldering the chancellor's responsibilities in this state for ages, and "now the West Bengal cabinet has taken a decision to reverse that".
"We don't know the reason behind such move. Will it help in improving the academic atmosphere?" he wondered.
Noted historian and indologist Nrisinga Prasad Bhaduri, however, welcomed the decision.
"Everyone knows that the chief minister is concerned about academic developments in West Bengal. It will be in the fitness of things to have someone who has a grasp on the day-to-day matters on the campuses," he added.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
