Kolkata, Sep 8 (PTI) In the continuing war of words between the West Bengal government and the Raj Bhavan over appointment of interim vice-chancellors in universities, senior minister Bratya Basu on Friday accused Governor C V Ananda Bose of trying to "destroy" the higher education system in the state.

The education minister also charged the governor, who is also chancellor of all state-run varsities, with running a "puppet regime" in the universities and threatening registrars not to hold meetings with the higher education department.

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“A review meeting of registrars of 31 universities was held today to take stock of certain academic and administrative measures pertaining to the institutions. While 12 attended, 19 others could not come due to threat from Raj Bhavan, we have learnt,” Basu told reporters after the meeting.

"The honourable governor wants to run a puppet regime by appointing people according to his whims to satisfy someone's ego. He is making constant effort to dismantle the higher education system,” he said.

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Basu said the governor keeps talking about the rule of law, but his move to appoint officiating VCs and meddle in the functioning of universities is unconstitutional.

To a question about Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's comment on "economic blockade" of universities which will function following the governor's instructions, the minister said she did not mean blocking the salary of interim VCs or college staff.

“There are many financial grants from the state which may come under scanner," he said.

The minister alleged that the chancellor has insulted the vice-chancellors by levelling “baseless charges" of corruption, harassing female students and playing political games against these people, several of whom are academics respected nationally.

In a video message on Thursday, the governor had said, “There were allegations of corruption, sexual harassment and political interference against some of the VCs who were earlier appointed."

Basu said the governor should have cross-checked with the individuals concerned by hearing their side of the story.

“However, he has acted as the judge, jury and executioner. He has defamed the state... There is a limit to our patience," the minister said.

Basu also rejected another allegation by the governor that five officiating VCs appointed by him had to resign following intimidation by the Trinamool Congress government.

“We don't have any such information. We have asked these five VCs to furnish details about the threats by September 11,” he said.

Describing Bose's video speech on Thursday as "unconstitutional," he asserted that the governor cannot make such televised addresses barring occasions like Independence Day or Republic Day.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)