WB Governor will not be invited to attend Calcutta University convocation: Minister

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar. (Photo: IANS)


Upcoming Calcutta University convocation will be held without Governor Jagdeep Dhankar as he has ‘consistently’ made statements targeting the government, West Bengal higher education Minister Partha Chatterjee said on Tuesday.

However, the final decision on the matter has not been taken yet by the varsity where the convocation is scheduled to be held on January 28.

State governor is also the chancellor  of various state universities. The higher education department would not have, in usual situations, thought about not inviting the governor, Chatterjee told reporters on sidelines of an event on Monday evening.

“But, the way he has been consistently making controversial comments targeting every move of the state through his tweets does not befit his stature as governor…Hence, we may have to opt for such a step (like not inviting him to the convocation) finally,” he said.

The final decision on not inviting the governor at the convocation rests with the university as it is in an autonomous institution. The minister said, “We won’t interfere in what they do. Let us see.”

Governor had called a meeting on Monday to discuss the situation in different state universities with vice chancellors and higher education secretary could not be held at the Raj Bhavan as neither the VCs nor officials turned up.

Dhankhar was prevented from attending Jadavpur University convocation held last year on December 24 by a Trinamool Congress-controlled employees union and faced student protests, which were held at the campus of the university.

READ: Governor blocked from attending Jadavpur University convocation

Since Jagdeep Dhankar took charge as the governor of West Bengal, he has been at loggerheads with the government over certain issues.