The varsity was set up by an Act of Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1990.
"Don't get it wrong, the cow shelter won't be opened to facilitate animal husbandry classes or research on 'gau mata' (mother cow) at the varsity named after a famous freedom fighter, journalist and poet," said vice chancellor B K Kuthiala.
"It will be used for sourcing milk, dung for biogas generation, and manure for growing vegetables for those living in hostel and the varsity staff," Kuthiala told PTI today.
Nothing (political or religious) should to be read into this, the vice chancellor asserted, terming the accusations in a section of media that he was trying to "saffronise" the university as "baseless".
The authorities had drawn up the plan to build gau-shala on two acres at the new campus at Bisankhedi, 12 km from the present location, four years ago, and the university's general council and management committee had cleared the proposal, he said.