Agri varsity VC row: Sukhu meets guv to bridge ‘communication gap’

Kullu: A day after Himachal Pradesh governor Shiv Pratap Shukla dismissed claims of Raj Bhawan being behind the delay in the appointment of vice-chancellor of Palampur Agriculture University (PAU), chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called on him on Friday to bridge “communication gap” between the Raj Bhawan and the state govt.
After meeting the governor at the Raj Bhawan, Sukhu told mediapersons in Shimla that the governor expressed his “unhappiness” over a number of issues.
“I met the governor after a gap of four months because we were busy in the elections. The governor was unhappy over the fact that during the yoga day function in Shimla, the city mayor was not present. His unhappiness is justified because the mayor should have been present at a govt function,” Sukhu said. “There was also a communication gap, which should be bridged,” added Sukhu.
On the issue of the appointments of VC in PAU, Sukhu said that the governor had sent back the file to the govt.
“The governor had returned the VC appointment file some three to four months back and it had been lying with the secretary, law department. He told me about this and I assured him that such an issue would not rise again in future. The governor also told me during our meeting that VCs should be appointed in all the state universities where their positions are lying vacant,” said Sukhu.
In an unprecedented move, Shukla on Thursday had addressed a press conference to dismiss claims that the delay in the appointment of PAU vice-chancellor was because of the Raj Bhawan. He had stated that he was being forced to clarify the issue as state agriculture minister Chander Kumar has repeatedly been claiming that the appointment of the regular VC has been delayed due to the Raj Bhawan.
“A search committee had been formed and advertisements were issued in the newspapers regarding the appointment of PAU VC. But the appointment was stayed by the court. The agriculture minister kept saying that the VC's appointment file is with the governor. But this file has been with the government only,” he had said.