Amid Khalsa University row, V-C Chahal resigns
AMRITSAR: Amid the controversy over the fate of Amritsar-based Khalsa University, its vice-chancellor (V-C) SS Chahal resigned on Saturday.
Although Chahal, who was the first V-C of the newly established university, cited “family reasons” for taking this decision, sources said he was also disturbed due to the ongoing row between the new Congress government and the varsity management.
Meanwhile, the university was quick to appoint a new V-C. Gurmohan Singh Walia, who is at present the V-C of Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University (SGGSWU), Fatehgarh Sahib, will be joining office here next week.
Confirming his resignation, Chahal told HT over phone: “I lost my wife to cardiac arrest in February this year. After her death, I couldn’t report to work, and have been on leave since then. Now, I have finally resigned as my house is in Chandigarh and it is more convenient for me to work in the same city.”
Chahal said he is currently part of the University Grants Commission (UGC) panel at Panjab University and the work kept him occupied.
On the Capt government’s decision to scrap the varsity legislation, Chahal said: “It was Khalsa College Governing Council’s (KCGC) decision to upgrade it to a university. I was just an appointee. I cannot comment further on the decision.”
KCGC deputy director, public relations, Dharmendra Rataul said the management has accepted Chahal’s resignation.
KU chancellor Satyajit Singh Majithia, meanwhile, welcomed the new V-C. He said the varsity would be benefitted by the experience and expertise of Walia and will emerge as world class professional university. Walia, an expert on language and religious issues, said his priorities will be research and establishing new faculties for the technical, professional and skill-oriented courses. Captain Amarinder Singh, who had vowed to scrap any law that tinkered with the heritage status of the 125-year-old college, had reiterated his resolve after assuming power in the state.
The legislation making Khalsa College a private university was passed by the Punjab assembly in September last year, when the SAD-BJP government was in power. Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla also joined the issue last Monday, calling for scrapping of the legislation “in the interest of students and teachers”. However, unfazed, the varsity authorities had claimed they would go ahead with admissions in the next session. The controversy stems from an ongoing power struggle between the two political families of Punjab — former Patiala royals and the Majithias. The Majithias had staged a coup by taking control of the college management from Captain’s family when the Akalis were in power and former deputy CM Sukhbir Badal’s father-in-law Satyajit Majithia became the head of the KCGC. AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is expanding the community kitchen inside the Golden Temple complex.
The project, which will cost ₹20 crore, is expected to be completed by Diwali this year. Once completed, the two ‘langar’ halls at the shrine will be able to accommodate 7,500 devotees, as compared to 5,000 capacity at present.
Although construction and other civil works are almost done, work on kitchen fittings and plumbing in the kitchen area are yet to be executed. Extra care is being given to hygiene and drainage system, for which special equipment are being imported, said SGPC officials.
“The rush at the community kitchen is always on the rise. We decided to put in more efforts to accommodate more devotees, so that they can partake of ‘langar’ without much wait,” said an official. The Golden Temple community kitchen serves ‘langar’ round the clock.