Removal of PAU VC : Governor, CM confrontation not in Punjab’s interest: Warring

CHANDIGARH, October 18:Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today criticized the failure of the Punjab government to follow rules and regulations and proper procedures in appointing the Vice Chancellors of various universities.

Warring also expressed grave concern over the growing confrontation between the Governor and the Chief Minister saying, it did not bode well for the state as the two must work in close coordination.

“By now this government should have realized that administrative appointments, unlike Rajya Sabha nominations, are not made through ‘royal edicts’ (shahi farman) but under a proper procedure after following rules and regulations”, Warring said, while taking a dig at the repeated rebukes and rejections by the Governor to approve its appointments for not following rules.

Reacting to the orders by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, asking the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to remove the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the Punjab Agriculture University Dr Satbir Singh Sohal for not following the rules and UGC guidelines, Warring said, it showed complete failure of the government that it did not follow proper procedure.

“Either it is a vicious and willful attempt not to follow any rules, or it is complete ignorance about rules and regulations that is causing such repeated embarrassments to the government”, he remarked.

He said, it was sad that eminent scientist like Dr Sohal, otherwise a well deserving candidate to lead the PAU, was made to face such an embarrassment, just because the AAP government did not follow the rules and procedures properly.

The PCC president pointed out, this was the second incident within a week as earlier another reputed cardiologist Dr GS Wander’s appointment as Baba Farid University of Health Sciences was not approved by the Governor because proper rules and procedures were not followed.