Gauhati University Registrar evades media amid financial irregularity claims; VC's absence questioned

Guwahati: Gauhati University authorities have faced flak after university Registrar Utpal Sharma avoided a scheduled press conference and instead issued a written statement, leading to accusations that the varsity administration "lacks the courage" to directly address serious allegations of financial irregularities, nepotism, and corruption.

The controversy began following widespread claims targeting Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Nani Gopal Mahanta.

On Thursday, the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuva-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) submitted a memorandum, demanding that Mahanta either call for an impartial investigation and resign, or provide concrete evidence to disprove the claims, arguing the allegations have "tarnished the heritage and dignity of the university."

The university's response to the situation was marked by confusion and last-minute changes.

Registrar Utpal Sharma initially scheduled a press meet for 11 a.m. on Friday, sending invitations to journalists on Thursday. However, on Friday morning around 8:49 a.m., the Registrar sent an intimation postponing the event to 4 p.m.

Surprisingly, the plan changed again at 12:16 p.m. when the Registrar sent a third email to the media, stating that the media briefing had been cancelled entirely and that a written statement would be issued instead.

Accordingly, a brief written statement regarding the university’s financial irregularity was sent to the media around 4:30 p.m.

University Dismisses Claims as 'Conspiracy'

In the statement, Registrar Sharma dismissed all allegations against VC Mahanta and the university administration, characterizing them as "completely false, factless, and misleading."

Registrar Sharma alleged that the media was attempting to tarnish the Vice-Chancellor's image, stating, "Recently, some electronic media and social media platforms have published baseless allegations against the university administration, especially the honorable Vice-Chancellor. The university authorities have described these allegations as completely false, factless, and misleading.

It has been stated on behalf of the university that these allegations are an attempt to undermine the university's dignity and destroy the Vice-Chancellor's image."

Instead of presenting specific facts or evidence to counter the allegations, the statement broadly claimed "complete transparency and integrity" in operations, adding, "The recent efforts to cast aspersions on the Vice-Chancellor and the university's reputation are unfortunate, baseless, and indicative of a political conspiracy."

Clarification on Tenders

The AJYCP memorandum had specifically highlighted alleged irregularities in the university's tender processes. Addressing this, Registrar Sharma stated that for high-value projects, open e-tenders are conducted via www.assamtenders.gov.in and advertised, maintaining that "no irregularities have occurred in project allocations to date."

He claimed that the allegations are "completely baseless and an attempt to create misconceptions."

Questions Over VC's Absence

The last-minute cancellation of the press conference and the decision to issue a written rebuttal have raised fresh questions. Critics are asking why Vice-Chancellor Nani Gopal Mahanta, the subject of the allegations, failed to appear before journalists to face questioning and provide evidence.

Further, the controversy has reignited discussion over Mahanta's appointment itself, with questions being raised about whether his close association with Himanta Biswa Sarma and alleged links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) played a role in him securing the Vice-Chancellor position.