VS Achuthanandan backs Governor, blames UDF for mess

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader V.S. Achuthanandan on Thursday said there was nothing wrong in Governor P. Sathasivam convening the meeting of vice-chancellors. However, veteran Congress leader Vakkom Purushothaman criticised the governor  for interfering in the affairs of the universities.
 In a statement here ,  Mr Achuthanandan   accused the UDF government of creating a mess in the higher education sector by appointing unqualified and corrupt people to the top posts.     Despite the situation in some of the universities turning worse, the chief minister and the education minister had failed to intervene and find a solution to the problem, he said.
 Mr Achuthanandan said that it was in this backdrop that the governor, using his powers as chancellor, took certain specific decisions to improve the functioning of varsities.  The education minister took part in the conference in his capacity as pro-chancellor, but after the meeting, the ruling party criticised the governor which is unjustified, he added.
 The veteran leader’s support  to the governor comes close on the heels of the Congress’s direct attack on him on Wednesday.
 CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had on Wednesday termed as unprecedented the governor's direction to the VCs to function strictly as per the Act, statutes and regulations. After taking charge,  the governor had come  across a series of complaints regarding undemocratic administrative  decisions  and illegal appointments and that was why he was forced to intervene, he added.
Mr Vakkom Purushothaman, a former governor, said Mr Sathasivam’s action could not be justified in a democratic system. He also said there was no need to have governors as chancellors of universities.
BJP leader M.T. Ramesh warned the Congress against threatening the governor.   “The  Congress should realise that times have changed. No longer can the party ask the governors to toe its line,’’ he added.