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BJP leaders, GU V-C deny graft accusation
The Bharatiya Janata
Party strongly denied allegations made against the party’s involvement
in granting permission to about 14 self-financed colleges in a Gujarati
daily on Sunday. The acting vice-chancellor of the Gujarat University,
Mr. Chaitanya Khambholja also refuted the charges made in a Gujarati daily
by describing it as totally untrue and baseless.
In a joint press release,
the state BJP general secretary Gordhan Jhadafiya, minister of state for
higher education Bharat Barot, Naroda MLA Dr. Maya Kodnani and Dhandhuka
MLA Bharat Pandya denied the allegations made against them in the Gujarati
daily Gujarat Samachar regarding their relation with the trust who had
been given permission to start a self-financed college.
The press release stated
that the recommendations to set up colleges in some of the areas were
initiated to help the people of that area. "There is no infrastructure
for higher education in the eastern suburbs of the city and the parents
of girl students face a lot of problems in sending their daughters to
colleges in other parts of the city.
So they stop sending them
for higher studies. Some of the local trusts and other organizations appealed
us to recommend setting up of colleges in these areas. We do not have
any role in making money out of the fees paid by the students to the trusts,"
the release stated.
"Our motive is not to earn
money by giving permissions to such self-financed colleges and the decision
was taken solely for the benefit of the people of our areas," added the
release. While questioning the credibility of the news story appeared
in Gujarat Samachar, the release asked the paper to come out with the
list of the colleges and schools owned by the congress leaders and workers.
The release denied party’s
use of educational institutions for making money in the past and assured
that it won’t happen in the future too. Meanwhile, the press release issued
by the acting vice-chancellor stated that more professional colleges are
beneficial for the students and their parents.
Moreover, before giving permission
for a self-financed college, the NAC team visits trusts and the management
who wish to start a college. Important factors such as locality and its
need, economic viability of the area, infrastructure set up in the area
and the geographic study of the area is considered before the report of
the committee comes to the academic council and the decision is taken.
The decision is communicated
to the executive council, which takes the final decision to grant the
permission. Hence, there is no question of granting overnight permission
to such self-financed colleges, the release stated. The release further
stated that these self-financed colleges, that have been given the go
ahead, are located in the rural areas and the decision is aimed to create
a geographic equality among different areas.
The release also denied any
link between the MLA’s and the permitted self-financed colleges. The data
given in the daily regarding the amount of money earned in self-financed
colleges is far from truth as the fees of the colleges does not amount
to crores of rupees, added the release.
The release stated that the
decision to give the permission to these self-financed colleges was also
taken keeping in mind the high percentage of results in this year. These
new colleges will relieve the pressure on the existing colleges and the
permission has been granted to the colleges keeping in mind the local
needs of the people, the release added.
Republished from TheAsian Age
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