A Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) delegation of party MPs, led by its president Sukhbir Singh Badal, on Friday urged the Vice-President and Panjab University Chancellor M Venkaiah Naidu to ensure the varsity’s unique character as a symbol of Punjabi pride was not tinkered with in any manner and called for the withdrawal of the report of the Chancellor’s high level committee on governance reforms.

The delegation, which included former Union Minister Harsimarat Kaur Badal, Balwinder Singh Bhundur and Naresh Gujaral, also called for withdrawal of all recommendations made by the high level committee including disaffiliation of colleges of Punjab by drastically reducing the territorial jurisdiction of Panjab University.

The delegation also informed the Chancellor that the high level committee had been hijacked by anti-Punjab forces which are seeking to change the very character of the University in the name of governance reforms.

“An effort is afoot to wrest all powers from elected representatives of the alumni and render the office of the Vice Chancellor, which will be vested with all powers now, an autocratic institution. The Committee also sought to eliminate Punjabis from the institution by recommending that the Syndicate have only ex-officio and nominated members instead of elected representatives,” stated the delegation.

SAD president said that the “draconian” recommendations constituted a painful distrust of the people of Punjab through their elected members.

Responding, Venkaih Naidu assured the SAD delegation that Panjab University would not take any decision which harmed the interests of Punjabis and that he had already looked into the matter and that all contentious issues were being resolved.

The delegation thanked the Chancellor for his intervention and assurance to preserve the unique character of the varsity.