MDS univ V-C relieved of duties after plaints by Ajmer BJP leaders

Jaipur: Following letters from the BJP leaders, the officiating vice-chancellor of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati (MDS) University, Om Thanvi was relieved from the ‘additional’ post by governor Kalraj Mishra on Tuesday. Thanvi, who is a V-C of Harideo University of Mass Communication and Journalism in Jaipur was given the additional charge of the MDS in September 2020.
“Thanvi’s decisions of questioning the autonomy of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management (CESBM) ran for 17 years by former dean of Commerce and BJP leader BP Saraswat and allegations that Thanvi removed the Yoga teachers from the MDS doesn’t go well with the party leaders of Ajmer,” said a source.
The letter jointly signed by Ajmer MP Bhagirath Choudhary, former education minister Vasudev Devnani, Nasirabad MLA Ramswarup Lamba, senior BJP leader Omkar Singh Lakhawat and local BJP leader BP Saraswat alleged Thanvi of violating the rules and demanding full-time V-C.
The CESBM was developed by the central government by initial funding of Rs 1 crore on the basis of a proposal sent by the university. Saraswat was made the in-charge of the centre. “Thanvi decided that the budget of the centre will be decided by the university since it is part of the university. Saraswat, who was the director of the centre vehemently opposed the decision and called it a merger of centre with the university. In a letter to the governor said that centre is autonomous which is independent of the university,” said the source.
Clarifying on dropping Yoga trainers, Thanvi in a letter to the governor said that the decision of dropping the trainers was taken by the academic council formed during the tenure of former VC RP Singh. They have not been dropped,” said the source.
PC Trivedi, the V-C of Jai Narain Vyas University in Jodhpur has been given the additional charge of MDS university. Devnani tweeted that I welcome the decision taken by the governor of removing the V-C Om Thanvi. tnn