Noted Psephologist Yogendra Yadav was sacked by University Grants Commission (UGC), citing his association with the Aam Admi Party. But a closer look at the issue reveals that Union HRD Minister Pallam Raju’s personal grudge against Yogendra Yadav led to this sacking. Pallam Raju represents the Kakinada Parliament Constituency in Seemandhra.
Pallam Raju’s attempt to bulldoze all UGC rules and setup a institution in Kakinada, seems to have precipitated this issue.
A couple of weeks back UGC had served a show-cause notice to Yogendra Yadav, who was serving as its member. The notice sought to know why Yadav should not be sacked, as he has now joined the Aam Admi Party.
Yogendra Yadav gave a detailed reply to that show-cause notice. In his reply, Yadav detailed how he had tried to correct numerous irregularities at UGC. He stated that his attempts were stone-walled by the highest authorities of UGC at every stage.
One shocking revelation made by Yogendra Yadav was about a institution that Pallam Raju wanted to establish in Kakinada. Yadav states that Pallam Raju tried to flout all established rules and regulations to establish an Inter-University Centre (IUC) on Teacher Education at JN Technical University, Kakinada.
Yadav says:
“I objected to the proposal (IUC, Kakinada) both on procedural and substantive terms and said that I would record my dissent if the proposal were to be pushed through. Eventually the item was deferred.
The minutes of this meeting were heavily doctored, including on the item related to the IUC. I strongly objected to the minutes and demanded complete redrafting of the minutes (Annexure 5). Two other honorable members of the commission endorsed this request. Yet these disputed minutes were placed on the Commission’ s website even before the deadline for comments on draft minutes was over. I sent revised minutes well in time and requested that no action be taken on those items where the minutes were disputed. I requested an emergency meeting of the commission to resolve this extraordinary impasse. The chairman acceded to holding a meeting but requested for some time in view of his proposed visit abroad. However no date was fixed for the meeting. In the meanwhile the commission issued orders on some of the disputed matters. I again objected to this and requested an early meeting.
Instead of a response from the UGC to my repeated request for correcting gross irregularities, I suddenly got a letter yesterday evening from the ministry asking me why I should not be retired from the Commission with immediate effect.”
So, it is clear that Yogendra Yadav was removed from UGC because he objected to several irregularities that were happening there. Some of these irregularities, like IUC, Kakinada were directly sanctioned by the HRD Minister Pallam Raju himself.
It is a matter of great shame that this Seemandhra leader has attempted to flout all UGC rules to sanction a institute to his constituency, And when a respected intellectual like Yogendra Yadav questions these irregularities, he is promptly dismissed from UGC.