Ahluwalia rejoins as V- C
FATEHGARH SAHIB: Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia rejoined as vicechancellor of Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University here on Tuesday evening in the absence of officiating V-C Dr Gurnek Singh.
Incidentally, Tuesday was an official holiday on account of Guru Ravidas’ birth anniversary.
Sources stated that Dr Ahluwalia, before rejoining, had taken Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president and university chancellor Avtar Singh Makkar into confidence.
Dr Ahluwalia will address students on Thursday, as per a notice pasted on the university notice board on Wednesday. University officials refused to comment on the development, even as tight security arrangements have been made on the campus.
The V-C was seriously injured after being shot at on the campus on August 1, 2011, following which the university trust had appointed Sikh scholar Dr Gurnek Singh as the officiating V-C.
On his recovery, Dr Ahluwalia had announced to rejoin as VC on December 1, 2011, but failed to do so.
Speculation had been rife that he would rejoin on December 15 as Dr Gurnek Singh’s term was to expire on December 14. However, when he failed to turn up, the university staff had told mediapersons that Dr Ahluwalia’s health had ‘suddenly deteriorated’.
Meanwhile, radical Sikh organisation Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) on Wednesday announced to hold a meeting in Ludhiana on Thursday to discuss the matter.
Party secretary general Bhai Harpal Singh said Bhai Mohkam Singh of the Khalsa Action Committee would be take part in the meeting. He accused Shiromani Akali Dal patron and Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal of allowing Dr Ahluwalia to rejoin.
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) leader Iqbal Singh Tiwana said his party had decided to stage a dharna in front of the university gate from 11am to 2pm on Friday. He said if Dr Ahluwalia’s appointment was not cancelled after their dharna, they would announce the course of action on Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’s birth anniversary on February 12.
Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh criticised Makkar for allowing Dr Ahluwalia to rejoin.
PETITION AGAINST REAPPOINTMENT
In December, the Punjab and Haryana high court had issued a notice to Punjab on a petition challenging the reappointment of Dr Ahluwalia as V-C.
The notice had been issued on a petition filed by Congress leader Kuljit Singh Nagra on the grounds that Dr Ahluwalia was aged around 77, and as per University Grants Commission norms, the age of a V-C’S superannuation is 70 years.
The high court has told the state government to reply to the petition.