PK Shahi

Patna, Aug. 4: Nitish Kumar is understood to have approved a report of the human resource development department which says that Governor Devanand Konwar did not consult either the chief minister or the department in appointing six vice-chancellors and five pro-VCs in the state’s universities.

HRD minister P.K. Shahi said: “The chief minister approving the report which specifically mentions that Konwar did not use the process of consultation as stipulated by the rules among other things in effect denies his claim that he consulted Nitish Kumar in appointing VCs and pro-VCs.”

Shahi has already dubbed the appointments “illegal” and said his ministry has initiated a process to curtail the financial powers of the VCs. The HRD report, with the chief minister’s stamp of approval on it, will help the ministry in its future action.

The minister’s reiteration that the governor, who is the chancellor of universities, did not keep the government informed came on a day Konwar was reported as saying that he did consult the chief minister, not once but twice. Nitish, however, is yet to personally speak on the issue.

Shahi claimed that had the chief minister been kept in the loop, he would not have approved the HRD report which accuses Konwar of “bypassing” rules which say he ought to consult the government.

“The governor will have to prove that he consulted the chief minister or kept him in the know while making the appointments of the VCs and pro-VCs if, at all, he has claimed to having done so,” the minister said.

Shahi’s aggressive stance has, according to sources, aggravated the already uneasy ties between Raj Bhavan and the government. JD(U) national general secretary Shivanand Tiwary has said he has complained to the Prime Minister about Konwar appointing VCs and pro-VCs in Bihar at his whims and fancy.

Shahi pointed out that the chancellor should have consulted either the chief minister or the department on the names he notified for VCs and pro-VCs. “If he claims that the names were not discussed, then how can he claim that he consulted the chief minister or the department on the appointments,” he asked.

“Consultation does not take place in a void. He should have sent the names to the government to prove his point. But neither the chief minister nor the department concerned was aware of the appointments he made on Monday… there was not even a semblance of consultation,” he said.