Patna, Feb. 7: Magadh University vice-chancellor (VC) Arvind Kumar, who was recently stripped of his power by Patna High Court, received some support today from members of Young Teachers’ Forum of the varsity and Akhil Bharatiya Chankya Parishad who claimed that a number of persons were involved in maligning the reputation of the VC.

Meanwhile, the teachers of the university, under the banners of All India Economic Association and Economic Association of Bihar, staged a demonstration against Arvind today and met human resource development (HRD) department officials to lodge a formal complaint.

“Teacher and representatives of various bodies, whose salaries and term of service are under the scanner because of a Supreme Court order, have been pressurising the vice-chancellor to pay their salaries,” said Ashok Kumar Anshumani, president, Akhil Bharatiya Chankya Parishad.

A source said before Arvind’s appointment as the VC, the non-regular teachers had pressurised the varsity authorities to divert funds for the payment of the salaries of regular teachers. But Arvind had stopped all such malpractices.

The teachers also appreciated a series of lectures organised by Arvind which were addressed by James Mullens, a Buddhist scholar, and L.C. Rai, a renowned environmentalist from Benaras Hindu University.

“I have tried my best to regain the lost glory of the university. A seminar would also be held on Buddhism and environment at the university on February 16,” Arvind told The Telegraph. Sri Lankan Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne will also attend the seminar.

On February 2, a bench of Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi, while hearing a petition challenging the appointment of VCs of Magadh University and Veer Kunwar Singh University, asked the state government and the chancellor to file their counter affidavits within two weeks.