Govt wants Prof Lama replaced with an institution builder

LOK SABHA MP WRITES TO UNION HRD MINISTER AND SONIA GANDHI SEEKING REPLACEMENT OF SIKKIM UNIVERSITY VC
GANGTOK, 10 May: It was no secret that there was no love lost between the State Government and the Sikkim University Vice Chancellor, and now the gloves have truly come off. While a section of faculty, students and representative groups of unemployed youth and affected people of Yangang have been openly protesting against the VC, Prof. Mahendra P Lama, on the streets and in the courts, the government had, till recently, maintained a studied silence. Yesterday, the Chief Minister broke this silence and accepted in a meeting with protesting college students that the VC has not been fair to Sikkim either in the bouquet of courses designed for the university nor in prioritising local employment [among a host of other criticisms of the VC’s style of administration]. Today came news of an official demand placed with the Union Minister of HRD, Kapil Sibal, by Sikkim’s Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai, seeking that Prof Lama be placed.
The MP, in a letter dated 08 May 2012 to the Union HRD Minister, a copy of which has been marked to the United Progressive Alliance Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, begins his letter by underlining that in light of the “untenable situation that has been obtained in the State between the State Government and the Vice Chancellor of the Sikkim University, it would lead to a very bad situation if the Vice Chancellor of the Sikkim University continues in his post.”
“In fact we would like the Ministry to remove him forthwith,” the letter stresses.
The MP has appealed to the Union Minister to “take immediate steps to replace the incumbent with an institution builder... Someone who will not put himself in front but will put the institution in front and give it the priority that it deserves should be appointed”.
Stating that a “long list of issues that have arisen from poor handling of the administration in the process of building of the University” can be furnished if the Minister so desires, the letter contends that “neither are the teachers and faculty happy barring a few, nor are the students”.
The letter details that the “war of words” that has come out in the open is “not doing the institution any good” and accuses the VC of having created obvious bad blood. “Public washing of linen is not expected of him. He has to respect the will of the people and no one is above that,” the letter puts on record.
The letter further points out that the environment provided in Sikkim was “one of the best to nurture a good University”, the MP points out how private universities like Manipal are indeed doing well in Sikkim. “Sikkim is peaceful and hence thus far there have been no untoward incidents. Our Government is committed towards this end but this must not be viewed as a weakness,” the MP stresses.