Once again the wrangling between the MLA from Rural Haridwar Swami Yateeshwaranand and the loyalists of the Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik has surfaced over the appointment of the dean of Gurukul Mahavidyalaya at Jwalapur. The tension which erupted on Monday continued on Tuesday as both the factions resolved to cling to their respective stance on the matter. Following the complaint lodged by Yashpal Saini, known as a staunch supporter of Madan Kaushik and the acting dean of the institute, the police have been deployed in the college campus.

Tension had come up when Swami Yateeshwaranand foisted his aide Balwant Singh Chauhan on the chair of the dean of Gurukul Mahavidyalaya.

He had taken Chauhan to the institute’s premises, opened the lock of the office and seated him on the dean's chair. Meanwhile, the supporters of the other group had gathered and torched the MLA’s effigy while abusing him for his arbitrary action.

Speaking to the Pioneer, the Sabha Pradhan of Gurukul Yogendra Singh Chauhan said that Swami Yateeshwaranand had no right to appoint anyone after he had been thrown out of the college’s governing body.

The police came to be deployed in the campus following sloganeering and tension running between the two groups. Dubbing his expulsion from the college’s Governing body as immoral and unlawful, Swami Yateeshwaranand said that he had appointed the dean while exercising his right. 

Tension over the dean’s chair deepened on Tuesday when Yashpal Saini, the existing dean, lodged a complaint at Kankhal police station against Yateeshwaranand and said that he had arbitrarily anointed another person as the dean in violation of the rules. “The dignity of the institution being under threat, stern action must be taken against the MLA,” Saini demanded. 

Sabha Pradhan Yogendra Singh Chauhan said that Yateeshwaranand had been expelled on June 30. “During the meeting held on July 1, a unanimous decision of scrapping the posts of vice-chancellor and registrar was taken. Yateeshwaranand was thrown out of the governing body of the college. The matter has been pending in the High Court. Now after what has happened police must act on the complaint,” he added.

Asked to comment on the matter, Balwant Singh Chauhan said that he had remained associated with the college since 1984. “I have been asked to act as the officiating dean till the new office bearer comes to take up the post,” he said. 

Defending his appointment, he further said that it had been done as per the rules. “The appointment is lawful as Yateeshwaranand still holds the post of sabha mantri. I am feeling honoured to be bestowed with the responsibility of an old institution.

The charges made against me are absolutely baseless and motivated. However, we are ready to have dissent resolved through discussion. Tension should end at the earliest,” he added. 

The police station in-charge of Kankhal Hari Om Raj Chauhan said that probe into the matter has been started.