Hummingbird News Desk
KRISHNAGAR, 5 AUG: Professor Saikat Maitra has been reinstated as vice-chancellor of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT). The Calcutta High Court on Thursday set aside an order of the West Bengal government that rescinded the reappointment of Professor Saikat Maitra as vice-chancellor and directed that he be allowed to join the post within three weeks.
The Calcutta High Court, while hearing Prof. Maitra’s plea against the state decision to remove him and give additional charge to Joint Entrance Board chairman Moloyendu Saha, on Monday ordered the government to maintain status. The state higher education department had conveyed the decision through a mail around 7 pm on 29 July.
Prof. Maitra was appointed as the Makaut VC in 2017. In February 2021, his term was extended for four years. With three years to go, Prof Maitra challenged the decision to remove him in court. His lawyer Uttam Kumar Mandal said, “He was removed from the post without prior intimation, which is illegal and an insult.”
Justice Kaushik Chanda on Thursday set aside the order dated 29 July, 2022, issued by the assistant secretary of the Department of Higher Education, under which the temporary charge of the post was given to Professor Malayendu Saha, the chairman of the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board.
The court directed the state to allow Prof Maitra to join the post of vice-chancellor within three weeks from the date of this order.
Armed with the court order, Prof Maitra went to Makaut’s Haringhata campus at around 1.30 pm yesterday but he found that Mr Saha was sitting on VC’s chair. He then went to the lounge and asked the staff to bring all files to him. He started working from there until Mr Saha finally left VC’s room and premises. Mr Saha left the VC’s chamber at around 5 pm and met Prof Maitra in the lounge. They spoke and embraced each other. Mr Saha released the VC’s official vehicle and left the campus in another university vehicle.
When asked, Prof Maitra said, “My removal was completely illegal because I was suddenly removed by the government without citing any reason. Even I was removed without prior intimation. On 29 July, the education department mailed me and asked me to leave the post. It was very insulting to me. So, I had gone to the court for justice.”
Tags: #MAKAUT #SaikatMaitra #ViceChancellor #CalcuttaHighCourt
