Sushil Modi slams Mamata govt's break with tradition in swapping Guv with CM as Chancellor

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Modi has called out West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee after the WB state cabinet approved the proposal to replace the Governor as the Chancellor of universities with the Chief Minister. The former deputy CM of the Bihar said that the West Bengal CM is violating the democratic process and acting arbitrarily. The BJP leader averred that it was India's first PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who started the tradition of appointing Governors of the state as Chancellors of the universities. 

BJP leader Sushil Modi said, "This tradition was established during the time of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. On Radhakrishnan Committee's recommendation, it became a tradition that the Governor of state will be the chancellor of state Universities. If you have political Opposition, it does not mean you can violate democratic processes."

'Mamata Banerjee acts arbitrarily'

Further launching an attack on the West Bengal CM, the BJP leader reminded Banerjee that a law can not be implemented if it does not have the consent of the Governor. He further added that it is not solely the right of the Governor to decide the names of the Vice-Chancellor in the states but a search by the committee of 3-4 members decides on the names and then the final decision is taken by the Governor and CM together. 

He said, "Mamata Banerjee does whatever comes to her mind and acts arbitrarily. But she will not be able to do anything. She cannot make such a provision because the final consent has to be given by the Governor. Even if the cabinet passes it, the assembly passes it, even then the consent has to be given by Governor."

Bringing in the Tamil Nadu politics where there is also a rift between the DMK government and the state Governor, Sushil Modi stated, "Despite Opposition by Tamil Nadu CM, was Governor removed from Chancellor post there? There is a good tradition going on for years that the Chancellor is the head of the universities, and that tradition should be maintained."

Cabinet approves proposal to replace Governor as Chancellor

On Thursday, after a cabinet meeting the education minister of West Bengal, Bratyabrata Basu, announced that the cabinet has given its consent to replace the Governor Jadgeep Dhankhar with CM Banerjee as the Chancellor of the state-controlled universities. As of now, the Governor continues to hold the Chancellor's position in the 17-state run universities.

The state government will later introduce the bill in the assembly and it will not be difficult for the TMC government to pass the bill in the Vidhan Sabha because of the thumping majority won in 2021. Later, the bill also has to get the consent of the Governor to be implemented as the law.