Stop misusing the office of the Governor

Vice-Chancellors, Professors and Associate Professors must refuse the invitation to the Conference.
UGC should withdraw the circular advising State Universities to organize NEP workshops.

The Raj Bhavan Press Release informing the Two Day Conference of Vice-Chancellors to be addressed by a CEO of a Private Company is shocking. The Post of Chancellor of the State University is only an ex-officio post. The Governor is the Chancellor and not the individual. Policy decisions can emerge only in the Council of Ministers and the Governor cannot impose his will on the people of the State. Planning for the development of the State in the business of the Government of Tamil Nadu. A CEO of a Private Company cannot preach to the Vice-Chancellors of the State Universities how the country should develop. The action of the Raj Bhavan in organizing the conference is highly mischievous with an intention to negate the role of the State Government.

Raj Bhavan Organising a conference of Vice-Chancellors without the Participation of the State Higher Education Minister is nothing but running a parallel government. The Governor with scant respect for the duly elected State Government is acting according to his whims and fancies. The constitution of India does not permit the Governor to do whatever he likes or wishes to do. When there is a duly elected Government, the Governor cannot override the powers of the Government or the Legislative Assembly. Instead of performing the duties in accordance with the Constitution of India, the Governor is assuming extra-constitutional authority.
The arbitrary decision of the Raj Bhavan to hold a conference of Vice-chancellors of State University is a direct challenge to State Government which has established the universities through a law passed by the State Legislature. The Governor is directly interfering in the governance and thereby trying to sow the seeds of disillusionment in the elected Government and ultimately make the people lose faith in democracy.
Mr R. N. Ravi is misusing the office of the Governor to sabotage the Parliamentary Democracy and to promote the business interest of private companies. The Governor is acting in a manner as though the Governor is superior to the elected Ministry. The Governor is trying to bring back the British Raj diarchy. The Governor is concerned only about fulfilling his base organisation’s agenda and is not interested to ensure the well-being of the children of this State. The silence of the Governor on the Bill that was twice passed by the State Legislative Assembly is not only a mockery of Democracy but also against the interest of the children who are under tremendous stress and anxiety.

SPCSS –TN demands that the Governor recall the invitation for the Two Day Conference of Vice-chancellors. If the Governor fails to uphold the Federal Structure of the Constitution, the Vice-Chancellors of the State Universities along with the Professors and Associate Professors must decline the invitation and desist from attending the conference.

The Government of Tamil Nadu cannot remain a mute spectator to the authoritative actions of the Governor with total disregard for the democratic principles. The government of Tamil Nadu must instruct the Vice-Chancellors, Professors and Associate Professors of the State Universities not to attend such conference that is organized without consultation, concurrence and participation of the State Government, which had established and continue to administer the State Universities.

Parliamentary democracy, according to Babasaheb Dr B. R. Ambedkar was “laboriously built up” by the Constituent Assembly. The Political Parties in the State must rise to the occasion and take effective to steps to uphold the Parliamentary democracy and ensure either the Governor performs his duties as mandated by the Constitution or resign.

SPCSS-TN calls upon the People of Tamil Nadu to raise their voices against the autocratic attitude of the Governor.

Entry 66 in List 1 of Schedule 7 under Article 246 of the Constitution of India does not authorize the Union Government to undermine the Rights of the State Governments and Union Government cannot assume all powers to regulate, right from the admission to Under Graduate Courses to the administration of Universities. When the State is engaged in evolving a State-specific Policy, UGC must withdraw the circular asking the State Universities to organize workshops on NEP.

Source: State Platform for Common School System – Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN)