Won't adopt a confrontationist approach with Governor: Tamil Nadu minister

Chennai: Signaling a thaw in the acrimonious relationship between the Tamil Nadu government and Raj Bhavan, new Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhian on Thursday said he has been advised by Chief Minister M K Stalin not to adopt a “confrontationist approach” with the Governor while dealing with issues related to state-run universities.

At the same time, Chezhian said the DMK dispensation will ensure that the state’s rights vis-à-vis higher education are protected keeping in mind the interests and future of students. Chezhian, who was sworn-in as Higher Education Minister replacing K Ponmudy who now helms the Forest department, also said the government had never launched any fight with the Raj Bhavan on its own.

Ponmudy and Governor R N Ravi shared a not-so-healthy relationship with their public spat affecting the appointment of vice-chancellors to state-funded universities and filing vacancies in higher education institutes. He had boycotted convocation ceremonies of several universities attended by the governor alleging that due respect was being denied for him as the representative of the state government.

“Chief Minister (M K Stalin) has advised me that any confrontation or fight should be avoided with the Governor’s office. We will ensure that our rights are protected. We will go by prescribed rules and regulations and will not deviate from them,” Chezhian said.

“The Tamil Nadu government never started any confrontation. We are only interested in the welfare of our students, and we will take every effort towards that,” the minister said.

On the Governor’s insistence that a UGC nominee should be included in the search committees to pick vice chancellors, the minister said a decision on this issue will be taken in consultation with the Chief Minister.

The governor’s demand was a major contention between the Raj Bhavan and Tamil Nadu government, which insisted on a committee without the UGC nominee. The confrontation between the two institutions have led to five state-funded universities remaining headless for the past several months.

The transfer of Ponmudy, a senior minister in the DMK government, from Higher Education to Forest surprised many. Not just with regard to appointment of VCs to universities, the government and the governor are locking horns over the National Education Policy (NEP).