Do not tamper with essence behind idea of Nalanda: Nitish
Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has sent a two page long letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, urging the Union government not to tamper with the essence behind the “idea of Nalanda”.
The letter, written to Swaraj on December 5 but was uploaded on Nitish’s official twitter handle on Sunday. It was written after the resignation of former Singapore Foreign Minister, George Yeo’s recent resignation as the Chancellor of Nalanda University.
The letter has raised serious objection to the way Yeo was not taken into confidence on the decision to dissolve the previous governing board of the University.
He has also urged the Centre to consult all stakeholders and distinguished academicians before taking any major decision.
“Bihar government enacted a law on Nalanda University in 2007. Thereafter, it requested the central government to make central law to take over the university. After the passing of central Act on Nalanda University in 2010, the State Act was repealed and Nalanda University along with its assets was transferred to the central government," he pointed out.
“George Yeo has reportedly resigned from his post, citing central government’s interventions as affecting the autonomy of the varsity. He has complained that he was not taken into confidence on the decision to
dissolve the previous governing board, or constitute a new one. The fact that an important decision was taken without consulting the chancellor is disturbing and raise questions about the autonomous nature of the university,” the letter said.
“Therefore, the Centre had requested the ‘Nalanda Mentor Group’ to continue functioning as the ‘governing board’ till the amendment in the said Act. So far, there has been no amendment in the Act.
Yet, a new governing body has been constituted by the Centre without due consultation with the stakeholders. This has affected the prestige and credibility of the university,” Nitish said.
