High drama during BU Syndicate meeting

BANGALORE: High drama marked the Bangalore University’s special Syndicate meeting on Monday, which ended abruptly. The members locked horns with Vice-Chancellor Dr N Prabhu Dev over the alleged exclusion of the appointments of Special Officer (Exams) Syed Jamal, Additional Legal Advisor G R Gurumath and Vigilance Officer S Ramakrishna from the meeting’s agenda. The major points on the agenda were the Kolar PG Centre issue and the demands of the university’s non-teaching staff, which includes the removal of Jamal, Gurumath and Ramakrishna. Members of the Syndicate questioned VC Prabhu Dev and apparently tried to compel him to bring the matters on the agenda. The VC decided to convene the meeting again on May 17. “I was shocked to see the Syndicate members behave like that, using ‘unparliamentary’ language and hurling water bottles. The members almost attacked the Finance Officer, Registrar (Evaluation) and me,” claimed Prabhu Dev. He alleged that the prescribed manner in which the agenda has to be prepared was not followed. “I got a list from the non-teaching staff that includes the issue of Jamal and Gurumath. They cannot dictate what the Syndicate’s agenda should have. I need to be given in writing what the agenda should include. In this case, I was not convinced of the need to discuss some matters again,” he said, adding that the appointments of Jamal and Gurumath were already resolved in previous Syndicate meetings.The Syndicate members had a different take. “The entire purpose of the special Syndicate meeting was to have an open discussion on Jamal, Gurumath and Ramakrishna. When these were missing from the agenda, we questioned the VC. The main demand of the non-teaching staff is the removal of the three officials. All this will be included in the meeting on May 17,” said D S Krishna, a Syndicate member. On the other hand, the non-teaching staff association was firm on Jamal’s ouster. “Jamal is an outsider. He has nothing to lose if there will be a government audit in the future, for it is the assistant and deputy registrars who have signed all the files pertaining to Jamal’s actions. He will slip away, and we will get the noose,” said Rangadhama R, secretary of non-teaching staff   association.