Mamata Govt and Governor Pull Varsities in Different Directions Over Yoga Day Celebrations

Kolkata: A tussle over Yoga Day celebrations has left Vice Chancellors (VCs ) of the state -run universities in a difficult situation in West Bengal after Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi wrote directly to them to observe the event on June 21, drawing objection from the state government.

West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Thursday said that the governor had directly sent letters for International Yoga Day celebrations to universities, bypassing the state government, which was "unprecedented and unacceptable".

But the VCs said they will take an "appropriate decision at an appropriate time" on the matter.

Vice Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University confirmed having received a letter from the Governor about International Yoga Day celebrations in the university

VC Sabyasachi Basu Roychoudhury told PTI, "Two days back we got a letter from Raj Bhavan signed by His Excellency the Governor of West Bengal who is also our Chancellor."

The letter suggested observing the International Yoga day on June 21 in a proper manner, the VC informed.

"Usually the Governor does not personally sign in all his correspondences. But, this time the letter had his signature," he said.

To a question if the university will observe the Yoga Day, the VC said, "I can only say we will take appropriate decision at appropriate time."

The VCs of two other state-run universities — the Jadavpur University and the Kalyani University-- however, said they were yet to get any such letter.

VC of Kalyani University Shankar Ghosh said, "While we have not received any such letter, we have already been running a Yoga Centre under physical education department for quite some time where a routine course is taught and yoga sessions are held under the watchful eyes of a supervisor."

Ghosh said they observe the Yoga Day with due importance at the Yoga Centre on behalf of the university every year.

"So whether we get the letter from the Govenor or not, the Yoga Day observations will take place nevertheless at our Yoga Centre," he said.

When contacted Vice Chancellor of Jadavpur University, Suranjan Das said, "No we have not received any letter from Raj Bhavan about Yoga Day observations in JU."

Asked if the institution will observe the day in case the letter reached the varsity before June 21, Das said, "I told you we did not receive any such letter. That's all."